Just like adults, children experience anxiety and worry from time to time. But when these feelings begin to get in the way of their everyday life, it can become a problem.

High levels of anxiety can impact self-esteem, wellbeing, and social relationships, but children do not always understand or know how to communicate when they are feeling anxious, meaning these negative feelings may manifest or be expressed in different ways.

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Separation anxiety

Separation anxiety is very common in young children aged 6 months to 3 years old. Children may become clingy and cry when separated from their parents or carers, and become fearful of strangers. This is a normal stage in a child's development, and is a sign that your baby is learning about their dependence on the people who care for them.

Separation anxiety usually stops around age 2 to 3, but sometimes you or your child might need additional help to understand and deal with their feelings. This can help your child to feel more secure in taking the steps towards learning to cope without you in their growing independence.

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Exam Stress

Many young people, particularly adolescents, experience stress and anxiety around exams. This is very common and can sometimes be helpful to motivate students to do well. But for some people, exams cause a significant and unhelpful amount of distress which can manifest in different ways, such as interrupted sleep, irritability, or poor appetite. There are a number of things that contribute to exam stress, some of which may be more difficult to identify.

Exam stress may be interfering with you or your child's mental health and wellbeing or performance at school, or the anxiety may be persistent and negatively affect you or them in other ways. If this is the case, professional help may be needed to help you or your child manage and cope with exam anxiety. 

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School Refusal

It is common for children and young people to feel worried about  aspects of school life from time to time, but sometimes these worries build up to the point that students are reluctant or unable to attend. Also known as school avoidance, school refusal may develop from concerns about starting a new school, friendship difficulties, or bullying, but also may be influenced by factors outside of school such as bereavement, family problems, or other mental health issues.

School refusal can be a problem as it interferes with both education and social development. It can be difficult to encourage your child to go into school when it causes them significant distress, and sometimes further help is required to help them overcome their concerns and get back to school.