| Many anxiety disorders afflict women, usually | | | | anything you want to know about his education |
| starting around puberty. Generalized anxiety | | | | and training, his treatment procedures, and how |
| disorder is one of the few that also affects | | | | much should expect to pay for it all. |
| children. Children who suffer from generalized | | | | You may want to conduct interviews with several |
| anxiety disorder constantly worry about | | | | therapists that specialize in treating children that |
| everything, from their family, their health, school | | | | have generalized anxiety disorder before making |
| issues, and world events, just to name a few. | | | | your final selection. During your interview feel free |
| They worry to the extent that it takes up such a | | | | to ask questions to help you make the best |
| part of their lives as to interfere with their ability | | | | choice for your child. It is a good idea to ask |
| to function and do the things that most normal | | | | potential therapists how long they have treated |
| children do. If this sounds like your child, have him | | | | children with generalized anxiety disorder, and |
| checked out by his physician. There are other | | | | what training did they have that makes them |
| health problems that can present the same way, | | | | qualified to do so. Ask what happens during an |
| and your physician will need to find out for sure | | | | average treatment session, and find out how long |
| what the problem is to prescribe the proper | | | | each session is expected to last. Are parents |
| treatment. Worry that lasts longer than six | | | | allowed to sit on the sessions? How many |
| months is a pretty good starting indicator of | | | | treatments does it usually take to be able to see |
| generalized anxiety disorder. | | | | some improvement? You also should find out if |
| Children who have generalized anxiety disorder | | | | the therapist is covered by your insurance, and if |
| are afflicted with several other symptoms | | | | not, whether he is willing to work out a payment |
| including, restlessness or inability to concentrate, | | | | plan with you, to make your childs treatment be |
| inability to sleep well, often suffer from extreme | | | | more affordable for the family budget. Let your |
| fatigue, and often tend to be very irritable. | | | | child also meet with potential therapists, to see if |
| Parents play a big role in helping children learn how | | | | he or she prefers one over the others. |
| to manage their generalized anxiety disorder so | | | | After interviewing several therapists, you may |
| that it does not interfere in their day to day lives. | | | | also want to do some research on each potential |
| These children respond well to positive parenting | | | | therapist to see if you can find any complaints, or |
| methods, and constantly seek reassurance that | | | | other information that make help you in the |
| everything is going to be okay. Parents should try | | | | selection process. Choosing a therapist for your |
| to help their children by discussing their fears and | | | | child is not something to take lightly, and you |
| concerns, and showing them ways in which they | | | | should take your time and try to choose the best |
| are unfounded. | | | | one you can afford. |
| If generalized anxiety disorder is not treated | | | | While prescription medications do seem to help |
| correctly before adolescence, it can lead to a | | | | those diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, |
| whole new set of problems. Children may suffer | | | | they are all not indicated for use by children. Best |
| from self-esteem and confidence issues, They | | | | results are usually achieved by combing medicines |
| may never graduate high school, not be able to | | | | with behavioral treatment. Use the medicines until |
| join the work force, and may turn to alcohol or | | | | the behavioral treatment helps, then gradually |
| drugs to make them feel better. | | | | come off of the meds. Being on prescription |
| Children with generalized anxiety disorder usually | | | | anxiety medications for long periods of time is not |
| respond well to treatments, such as cognitive | | | | recommended for anyone, especially children. Your |
| behavioral treatment. Cognitive behavior therapy | | | | physician may be able to find a safe prescription |
| teaches children to change their way of thinking, | | | | medicine, but keep in mind that some |
| and modify their behaviors to help lessen their | | | | prescriptions normally used in treating adults can |
| fears and worries. It helps them learn to turn | | | | actually cause children to have self destructive |
| negative thoughts and behaviors into positive | | | | thoughts and behaviors. Children who take |
| ones. They learn how to use relaxation exercises | | | | medicines to help control their generalized anxiety |
| to help control their anxiety levels, so that they | | | | disorder must be closely monitored by both their |
| can more effectively manage their disorder. | | | | physician, and their parents, and any new |
| Children need to learn to use these relaxation | | | | symptoms or personality changes should be |
| methods not only in therapy, but in stressful | | | | reported to the physician right away. |
| situations anytime and anyplace they happen to | | | | People who have generalized anxiety disorder |
| occur. | | | | may develop other psychiatric diseases later in |
| When choosing a therapist to help your child with | | | | life, such as chronic depression, or panic disorders. |
| his generalized anxiety disorder, you should look | | | | Treatment and education at the onset of |
| for one that is easy to communicate with, and | | | | generalized anxiety disorder can greatly decrease |
| one who has no problem answering any questions | | | | the odds. |
| that you may have. He should be able to tell you | | | | |