The Development and Treatment of Childhood Anxiety

Thomas Huberty's 2013 article delves into the development and treatment of childhood anxiety. Anxiety is a common problem affecting children both at home and in school environments, causing significant problems in personal, social, and academic performance (Huberty, 2010). Often overlooked or mistaken for attention deficits or low ability/motivation, if left untreated may worsen over time and produce more problems into adolescence and adulthood. Anxiety first emerges at about 7-8 months of age as stranger anxiety and at 12-15 months of age, separation anxiety is most prevalent. Both of these are typical and are indicators of development but will mostly dissipate by the end of their second year. Anxieties of infancy and preschoolers are primarily associated with fears of strangers, new situations, animals, the dark, loud noises, falling, and injury. With age, sources of anxiety transform to be more social and abstract, such as worrying about friendships, social acceptance, future events, and coping with changes. For the vast majority of cases, children cope well with these situations therefore severe or chronic anxiety is not common. Some of the main signs of anxiety in children, as shown here, are easily misinterpreted, but it is now widely accepted that parents and teachers play a vital role in prevention and intervention (Huberty 2010).
Research focussing on genetic and environmental causes of anxiety have shown that there is a genetic contribution of approx 30% in childhood anxiety disorders. Also linking with biological influences, anxious children tend to be subdued, cautious, and tentative in temperament. Some also may have differences in certain parts of the brain that affect attention, concentration, and memory. Family environmental factors appear to play an important role, especially from overprotective mothers who model anxious behavior, and prevent exposure to stressful situations.