How to Aid Impaired Children with Anxiety and Chronic Conditions?

Children with impairments or long-term health issues are more likely to feel anxious compared to their peers. They might worry about various things beyond the typical fears of childhood, such as:

• Fearing medical procedures.
• Missing out on activities, friendships or school
• Managing their condition or treatments.
• Feeling like a burden on their families.
• Fearing getting worse, relapsing or passing away.

According to the experts offering anxiety treatment in Canberra, kids with impairments might also struggle with thinking and managing their emotions, making them more susceptible to anxiety than others. For example, children with autism often have rigid thinking patterns and find it hard to adjust to changes, which can lead to feelings of insecurity and trigger anxiety.

Symptoms & Signs

Symptoms of anxiety in these children can look a lot like those in typically developing kids, including:

• Panic attacks.
• Worry
• Being clingy
• Stomachaches and headaches.

However, there are also less common symptoms, such as:

• Acting out aggressively or challenging behaviour.
• Refusing to go to school
• Avoiding certain activities.
• Being silent in certain situations.
• Wetting the bed.

Treating anxiety in children with impairments is similar to treating it in typically developing kids, but some treatments might need to be adjusted to fit the child’s needs and abilities. According to professionals offering an anxiety counselling program in Canberra, medication might be necessary for some children if behavioural methods alone can’t reduce their anxiety and feeling of being on edge.

Supporting Children with Anxiety

Parents can help their anxious child by:

• Identifying what triggers their anxiety.
• Teaching them how to manage their emotions (like using breathing techniques, fidget toys or self-talk).
• Using apps and other tools to track and manage their anxiety.
• Encouraging a problem-solving approach to dealing with things that make them anxious instead of avoiding them.

It is crucial to seek help early before anxiety becomes too deeply ingrained. If left untreated, anxiety can spread and become a much bigger issue.

Available Support

Kids dealing with anxiety might be able to get help through their NDIS plan to visit a psychologist who offers anxiety treatment near Canberra as long as this fits with their current plan’s objectives. If their anxiety stems from their impairment, they should qualify for NDIS funding.

However, if the anxiety isn’t linked to their impairment, they could seek help from a mental health care plan (MHCP) with an NDIS provider, which Medicare might cover. This option is only available to kids who have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.

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Author’s Bio: The author is a professional who offers anxiety treatment and counselling program services in and near Canberra, and writing this piece means educating the readers about the subject.