Translations
This page is available in six community languages Arabic, Hindi, Punjabi, Simplified Chinese, Somali and Vietnamese.
Please note: the information on these translated pages is not an exact translation of this page.
Key points to remember
- Anxiety is the body’s response to danger. It causes worry or fear and may trigger physical symptoms like a fast heart rate.
- It is normal for your child to sometimes feel anxious, worried or fearful. If their feelings do not go away and affect daily activities, they may have an anxiety disorder.
- Anxiety can be hard to recognise in children, as the signs vary and include things such as stomach aches, recurring headaches, tantrums and difficulty sleeping.
- There are simple ways to support your child at home when they feel anxious.
- It is best to speak with a professional if your child has serious and ongoing feelings of anxiety or if they avoid daily activities that make them anxious.
- To seek help, share your child’s feelings and behaviour with their teacher, doctor or another health professional such as a nurse, paediatrician, counsellor or psychologist.
What is anxiety?
Anxiety is our body’s reaction to threat or danger. It causes worry or fear and may trigger physical changes such as a fast heart rate, increased blood pressure and sweating. Anxiety is a normal and healthy reaction to stress.
Some people have intense or repeated fears, worries and anxious feelings that can last for weeks or more. These strong emotions can affect how children experience daily activities such as going to school, seeing friends or practicing hobbies. If your
child has severe or long-lasting anxiety, they may have an anxiety disorder.
What causes anxiety in children?
Many things can cause children to have feelings of anxiety. If your child gets anxious occasionally, this does not necessarily mean they have an anxiety disorder.
Some reasons children may feel anxious include:
- stressful events such as death or illness in the family
- news about big topics like natural disasters or climate change
- major life changes such as starting at a different school or parents separating
- events at school, such as tests or bullying
- becoming sick or getting injured.
It is not always clear why children develop strong feelings of anxiety. Sometimes, severe anxiety can develop without being triggered by a particular event.
Parents who experience anxiety themselves may be more likely to have children with anxiety. If you struggle with anxiety, it is important to get help to support your own mental health and wellbeing.
Common signs and symptoms of anxiety
Signs of anxiety
- Feelings of worry or fear.
- Regularly avoiding everyday situations like school, social events, playing with friends, sports, eating or sleeping.
- Sudden emotional or angry outbursts, tantrums or 'meltdowns.'
- Irritability.
- Seeking reassurance often.
- Trouble concentrating.
- Problems with talking at school or in public places.
- Overplanning and overthinking.
Physical symptoms
- Stomach aches and headaches.
- Restlessness.
- Muscle tension.
- Trouble sleeping.
- Tiredness.
- Changes in appetite.
It can be hard to tell the difference between everyday worries and ongoing anxiety, as all children will have these symptoms from time to time. If your child shows the above signs in a pattern and they have trouble with regular activities as a result,
they may have an anxiety disorder.
The most common types of anxiety disorders in children include social anxiety, separation anxiety and generalised anxiety. Children may also have anxiety around specific objects or situations
– these are called phobias. Generally, phobias are less likely to cause problems with regular activities.
Figure one: Graphic with the signs and symptoms of anxiety.
How to help your child with anxiety at home
If your child is showing ongoing signs of anxiety, there are many great ways to support them at home:
- Talk with your child about their feelings and encourage them to let you know when they feel overwhelmed. Explaining that everyone feels worried or scared sometimes may help.
- Support your child in slowly doing the things that make them feel anxious. For example, if they get stressed in crowded shopping centres, start with short trips to the local shops and build up to visiting a shopping centre at a quiet time of day.
- Create a plan to help your child manage their anxiety, such as breathing techniques or reassuring phrases.
- Praise your child when they do things they prefer to avoid.
- Set aside time for fun activities to take the focus off negative feelings.
- Encourage a healthy routine with plenty of sleep, regular outdoor exercise, nutritious meals and minimal screen time.
- Try not to allow your child to avoid things that make them anxious. Avoidance can quickly become a pattern that is hard to break.
When to seek professional help
Some children with ongoing anxiety may need professional help to manage their symptoms.
It is best to get help if your child:
- seems excessively worried or anxious
- feels anxious most of the time
- stops taking part in typical daily activities, such as socialising, playing, eating or sleeping well because of their anxiety.
Start by speaking with your child’s doctor or another trusted healthcare provider. They can provide strategies or refer your child to another health professional, such as a psychologist, for diagnosis and treatment.
Back-to-school anxiety
Going to school is a fantastic way for your child to learn and develop life skills. However, it can also be a stressful place for some kids.
Starting, changing, and returning to school are major events for children. It is normal for your child to be nervous about these transition periods – even if they do not usually feel anxious. Planning can help manage any worried feelings they may have.
Helping your child start or return to school
Before school starts:
- Talk with your child about school in a positive and encouraging way.
- Ask your child how they feel about starting or returning to school. Be curious and empathetic, and avoid dismissing their concerns.
- Try to problem-solve any worries your child shares about school.
- Practice new tasks and routines before school starts, such as waking up at a set time, using a lunch box or catching public transport.
- Make sure your child knows who to ask for help at school and reassure them that their school is on their team.
Once school starts:
- Check in with your child regularly about their feelings and experiences at school.
- Discuss any strong emotions your child shares about school and work through challenges together.
- Address any concerns that arise throughout the year, such as health or learning support needs, bullying, boredom in the classroom, challenges with friendships, and feelings of not belonging.
- If required, speak to their teachers about how your child feels and ways to support them.
Some children have intense anxiety about school, which leads them to avoid going. School avoidance is a complex issue that often requires professional help to manage. It is not always caused by an anxiety disorder. If you think your child may have a problem
avoiding school, speak to their teacher. Schools have support and trained staff members to help children who feel anxious or do not want to attend school. In many cases, schools can connect children to psychologists or counsellors.
You may also want to speak to a doctor or psychologist for advice.
Common questions about anxiety in children
How can I tell whether my child has normal worries or an anxiety disorder?
It can be hard to know whether your child's anxious feelings are regular worries or something more. Many children feel shy or worried about things like making friends, learning at school, sleeping in the dark or trying a new activity. However,
if your child is anxious a lot and their feelings cause them distress or physical symptoms like stomach aches, they may have an anxiety disorder.
Will my child grow out of their anxiety?
Some children grow out of their anxiety, but others will continue to struggle unless they get professional help. If your child has severe or long-lasting anxiety that affects their everyday life, speak to a health professional such as a nurse,
paediatrician, counsellor or psychologist. You may also like to speak to their teachers.
How is anxiety in children usually treated?
If your child feels anxious occasionally, they may just need you to support them at home. However, if they show signs of ongoing and severe anxiety, they may benefit from evidence-based psychological treatments like cognitive behavioural therapy.
These treatments often involve parents or caregivers.
Do children with anxiety need medicine?
Many children do not need medicine for their anxiety. They will improve with support and strategies from a psychologist, doctor or other health professionals.
In some situations, medicines can help treat a child with an anxiety disorder. Doctors with expertise in child mental health, such as paediatricians, psychiatrists and some general practitioners (GPs), can prescribe anxiety medicines. Most medicines
used for anxiety in children do not cause addiction or dependence. It is important to talk to your doctor about your concerns and any specific risks if they recommend medicine for your child.
Questions about anxiety
An in-depth talk about anxiety
For more information
Developed by The Royal Children's Hospital Psychology department, with input from the Centre for Community Child Health. We acknowledge the input of RCH consumers and carers.
Reviewed January 2025.
Please always seek the most recent advice from a registered
and practising clinician.