Anxiety

Some level of anxiety is a normal part of life and growing up. It's natural for kids to experience anxiety when faced with new or stressful situations and it doesn't mean that they will develop and an anxiety disorder. With support and reassurance, most worries will go away. But if your child is anxious for long periods of time then it could be a problem and your child may need a little extra help and additional support.

Here are a few things you can do to support your child at home:

Get back to routine. Routines are safe and familiar which can help reduce anxiety.
Focus on what you can control. We often get caught up in the unknown and 'what-if's?'. Help your child identify what they control and practical things they can do to help them become more present in the moment and so reduce anxiety e.g. getting organised, making plans for the weekend, preparing their school bag, mindfulness activities.
Revisit social distancing rules and good hygiene practices. Reviewing these can help your child feel more at ease about their safety if they have concerns regarding COVID-19.
Provide reassurance. Sometimes we can't solve all our children's problems, but children don't always need solutions and often the best thing we can do is to help them feel understood and supported.
Explore the positives. Even if they are worried about changes at school, there may be some things they look forward to. It can be helpful to chat through these together.

Below are some links with additional information regarding supporting an anxious child.

A collection of information and expert videos to help you support your child's mental health during COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

https://www.mq.edu.au/research/research-centres-groups-and-facilities/healthy-people/centres/centre-for-emotional-health-ceh/covid-19-weve-got-this-covered!/information-for-parents-and-carers

Anxiety in young children (under 8 years)

https://raisingchildren.net.au/toddlers/health-daily-care/mental-health/anxiety-in-children

Anxiety in pre-teens/ teens (9 yrs +)

https://raisingchildren.net.au/pre-teens/mental-health-physical-health/stress-anxiety-depression/anxiety

Brave online - an online program for children/teenagers with anxiety. Includes a parent program

https://www.brave-online.com/

If you have concerns regarding your child's mental health and you feel they need additional support please have a discussion with your child's teacher so that they can support your child at school.

Your child's teacher can refer to the school Learning and Support team if your child requires additional support. The Learning and Support team can refer to outside support agencies or provide information regarding local support services if needed. It is always a goof idea to discuss any mental health concerns with your family GP.

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