Common signs of anxiety disorders in children are excessive worrying about ordinary activities, such as going to school or summer camp, taking a test or performing in sports. At times, there are physical symptoms such as palpitations, sweating, trembling, stomachache, or headache. There may be avoidance of certain situations that are perceived by the child to be sources of anxiety. This avoidance can cause social withdrawal. These disorders are properly recognized through a careful evaluation that includes direct examination of the child, a parent interview and a collection of past history.
Anxiety disorders cause significant suffering and functional impairment in the affected children.
While not all of them will continue to suffer from these disorders into adulthood, some will, and early treatment may help prevent future mental health problems, including suicide attempts. Researchers used four inclusion criteria to select participants for the study, including a clinician-rated scale that was developed for the study to assess symptoms of the targeted disorders. The participants also had to go through several weeks of extended evaluation, during which time supportive psychotherapy was initiated. Only children who had not adequately improved at the end of that period were entered into the medication study. This was done to avoid exposing to medications children who might have improved with simple support and encouragement.