Family Health
anxiety SIGNS TO WATCH FOR [ and ways to help ] AS KIDS RETURN TO PRE-PANDEMIC ACTIVITIES.
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EARN THE SIGNS AND how to help your child cope with anxiety brought on by a return to pre-pandemic activities. The COVID-19 pandemic has been hard on everyone—but especially kids. From the sudden shift to remote learning and few or no playdates to no (or restricted) visits with extended family and lots of safety rules, children had to quickly adjust. As some areas reopen and a few rules are relaxed, some children can experience re-emergence or re-entry anxiety. With everything COVID-19 related, there is no clear roadmap for finding your way through these challenges. Every family will have different comfort levels with re-entry.
common sign of something wrong is when a child withdraws from or avoids activities they once enjoyed. If your child enjoyed time with friends or school, and now says he’s not interested, take note. Irritability, Temper, and Regressive Behaviors. Has your child suddenly become moody or easily irritable? Are they displaying regressive behaviors like wetting their
SIGNS TO WATCH FOR Signs of re-emergence anxiety will vary depending on a child’s personality and age. Children in the same household may display different signs or levels of anxiety. Below are some potential signs of “post-pandemic” anxiety in children. Eating and Sleeping Changes. Classic signs of anxiety in children are issues about food and appetite or sleep. A loss of appetite, fussiness in eating, or extra comfort eating are signs something is amiss. Sleeping patterns may shift with sleep disturbances, nightmares, waking in the night, and insomnia. Children may also have trouble falling or staying asleep or end up sleeping more during the day. Withdrawal and Avoidance. Another
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many families have spent much more time together than in the past. Some children— especially those who enjoyed staying home—may find it overwhelming to go back to school or be alone in a group of children. This anxiety could come from being in an unfamiliar social situation, a fear of illness, or feeling unsafe outside of the home. Declining Academic Performance. Now that children are back in school, check on their academic performance. A lack of engagement in the classroom or bad grades may indicate your child is anxious at school. They may be feeling like they didn’t learn as well as some classmates did with remote learning, or they could be uncertain about the social capabilities following the time away.
WAYS TO HELP
pants again, thumb sucking, or throwing a tantrum? These behaviors in younger children can signify anxiety and result from their inability to express their feelings. Nervousness and Worry. An increase in nervousness and worry is another sign of anxiety. Children face several uncertainties about the return to school. Will we wear masks? Will I get sick? Will school be interrupted again? And many may worry about being behind in school, seeing old friends and making new friends, and about being separated from their family after spending time at home. Fear of Separation. With parents working from home and children remote learning,
Talk About It! Start by creating an open and supportive environment where children and teens know they can ask questions and express their worries. Acknowledge your child’s anxiety while focusing their energy on aspects of life that they can control. Name the emotion and normalize the experience to clarify that their feelings aren’t “bad” but may be uncomfortable and challenging. This exercise will help a child understand that their feelings are valid and normal. Establish Coping Mechanisms. Once you have helped your child name the emotion, talk about what they can do to feel better. Knowing how to cope with an emotion lessens the power it has over them.
O R E G O N F A M I LY . C O M
OCTOBER 2021
