Relieving Anxiety in Children
There are a couple of articles from Lemon Lime Adventures that discuss ways to calm an anxious child. Here are lists from the articles, but click the titles to link to the full article for detailed descriptions.
Phrases to calm a child’s anxiety: Ways to calm without words:
- “I am here; you are safe.” – Bear hug
- “Tell me about it.” – Whispering
- “How big is your worry?” – Singing
- “What do you want to tell your worry?” – Redirect
- “Can you draw it?” – Tickle
- “Let’s change the ending.” – Bath time
- “I’m going to take a deep breath.” – Storytime
- “It’s scary AND…” – Sensory play
- “I can’t wait to hear about…” – Massage
- “What do you need from me?” – Essential oils
- “Which calming strategy do you want to use?”
- “What other things do you know about (fill in the blank)?”
It is natural to feel anxiety when faced with new or challenging situations. But when anxiety interferes with daily life and routines, and there is the feeling that all control of one’s surroundings is lost, this might be an anxiety attack (aka panic attack). You might want to try the “Grounding” technique:
Look around to find 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and one thing you can taste.
This gives you something else to focus on and grounds you to your present surroundings. If these attacks persist or are reoccurring, see your doctor. You may have an anxiety disorder.
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