Childhood is that fleeting time of some of life’s most precious moments, great friendships and endless
freedom, or so we’d like to think. But surveys, such as the one cited here, indicate that somewhere
between 7% to 30% of Indian children under age 12 require either diagnostic or ongoing mental
healthcare, with children from middle and lower socioeconomic groups reporting a higher prevalence of
anxiety disorders.
A variety of socio-cultural, family- and school-related factors can trigger anxiety in children and
adolescents. Here are some of our Mental Health team’s best tips to help parents support their children
through their worries:
Respect and validate your child’s feelings: This means empathising and conveying to your
child that you see how they’re feeling, it’s is okay to feel that way, and that you’re here to guide
and help them get through the situation.
Help her understand anxiety: Explain that anxiety is the body’s normal way of signaling that
we’re in danger. Think about a smoke alarm. It can help protect us when there’s a fire but if it’s
too sensitive, it goes off even when there isn’t a fire, like when it senses burning toast, which can
be annoying. Like a smoke alarm, anxiety is helpful and adaptive when it works right. If it goes
off when there’s no real danger, it isn’t only scary but downright exhausting.
Think things through together: It may be helpful to discuss how your child can handle worst
case scenarios. For some children, having a concrete plan can reduce uncertainty and instill a
sense of calm and control.
Create a toolbox of tricks and tips together: These could include relaxation techniques, such
as deep breathing, counting down from 10 to 1, squeezing a stress ball, a notepad to draw the
feeling or write down scary thoughts and a photograph of a happy memory.
Many children struggle with anxiety into adulthood but the good news is that with support and early
intervention, they can learn to control their anxiety.