Category: <span>Anxiety</span>

Anxiety School • By Jeffrey LaPonsie 0 Comments

Battling Back to School Anxiety: Strategies for a Smooth Transition

As summer vacations come to an end, the anticipation of returning to school can be both exciting and anxiety-inducing. For many students, parents, and even teachers, the start of a new school year can trigger a wave of back-to-school anxiety. This anxiety is a common and normal response to change and uncertainty, but it’s essential to address it to ensure a smooth transition. In this blog post, we’ll explore what back-to-school anxiety is, its common causes, and strategies to cope with and conquer it.

Understanding Back-to-School Anxiety

Back-to-school anxiety is a psychological and emotional response to the impending start of a new academic year. It can affect students of all ages, parents, and even educators. This anxiety often stems from various sources, such as:

  1. Academic Pressure: The fear of falling behind in studies or struggling with coursework can be a significant trigger for students. The pressure to excel academically can be overwhelming.
  2. Social Concerns: Worries about fitting in, making new friends, or dealing with social pressures can lead to anxiety. For some, the fear of bullying or rejection can be particularly distressing.
  3. Transitions: Starting a new school, moving to a higher grade, or transitioning from elementary to middle school or middle to high school can be daunting, as it involves adapting to new environments and routines.
  4. Separation Anxiety: Younger children may experience separation anxiety from their parents or caregivers when they have to spend long hours away from home for the first time.
  5. Performance Anxiety: Teachers and educators may also experience anxiety related to their classroom responsibilities, curriculum planning, and meeting educational goals.

Strategies to Tackle Back-to-School Anxiety

  1. Open Communication: Encourage open and honest conversations with your child about their concerns. Listen actively and empathetically, validate their feelings, and provide reassurance. Reassure them that it’s normal to feel anxious, and that you’re there to support them.
  2. Gradual Adjustment: Start adjusting to the school routine a few weeks before the academic year begins. Gradually shift bedtime and wake-up times to align with the school schedule, and introduce a consistent daily routine.
  3. Familiarize Yourself: Visit the school with your child if possible, especially if they’re entering a new school. Familiarity with the school environment can ease their anxiety.
  4. Set Realistic Expectations: Discuss academic goals and set achievable expectations. Emphasize the importance of effort and personal growth over perfection.
  5. Teach Coping Strategies: Teach your child relaxation techniques like deep breathing, mindfulness, or meditation. These can help manage anxiety when it arises.
  6. Encourage Social Interaction: Encourage your child to engage in extracurricular activities or social events to make friends and build a support system.
  7. Lead by Example: Parents and educators can set a positive example by managing their stress effectively. Demonstrating resilience and coping strategies can inspire children to do the same.
  8. Seek Professional Help: If anxiety persists and significantly affects daily life, consider consulting a mental health professional who specializes in child and adolescent anxiety disorders.

Back-to-school anxiety is a common experience for students, parents, and teachers alike. While it may be a natural response to change, it’s essential to address it proactively. By employing the strategies mentioned above and fostering open communication, we can help our children and ourselves navigate the transition back to school with confidence and resilience. Remember that with time, patience, and support, back-to-school anxiety can be overcome, allowing everyone to embrace the new academic year with enthusiasm and positivity

Jeff LaPonsie LMSW
jeff laponsie LMSW kalamazoo therapy

Jeff LaPonsie is a clinical social worker at Kalamazoo Child and Family Counseling, PLLC. He provides counseling to children and families in the Kalamazoo, Portage, Mattawan, and South West Michigan areas. He is passionate about helping challenging children and frustrated parents. Jeff has over seven years of experience working with at-risk youth. His clinical expertise includes working with children with behavioral, anxiety, attachment, and trauma-related disorders.

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Anxiety Child Counseling • By Jeffrey LaPonsie 0 Comments

Three Deep Breathing Strategies to Help Kids with Anxiety

Deep breathing is a simple yet powerful technique that can help children manage their emotions and reduce stress. When practiced regularly, deep breathing can help kids feel more relaxed and focused, and improve their overall well-being. This technique can be especially helpful for children who struggle with anxiety, as it can provide a sense of calm and control in stressful situations.

Anxiety can be overwhelming for children, causing them to feel worried, nervous, or fearful. Deep breathing can help children calm their minds and bodies when they start to feel anxious. By taking slow, deep breaths, children can activate their parasympathetic nervous system, which helps to lower their heart rate and blood pressure, and reduces feelings of anxiety.

Here are three fun and easy ways kids can practice deep breathing to help manage anxiety:

  1. Balloon Breathing

Balloon breathing is a fun and interactive way to teach children how to take deep breaths. Have your child sit comfortably with their back straight and take a deep breath in through their nose. As they inhale, tell them to imagine they are blowing up a balloon in their belly. Then, have them slowly exhale through their mouth, as if they are letting the air out of the balloon. Encourage them to repeat this process several times, taking slow, deep breaths each time.

  1. Flower Breathing

Flower breathing is a visualization technique that can help kids relax and feel more centered. Have your child close their eyes and imagine they are holding a beautiful flower. Tell them to take a deep breath in through their nose, imagining they are smelling the flower’s sweet scent. Then, have them slowly exhale through their mouth, imagining they are blowing away the flower’s petals. Encourage your child to repeat this process several times, focusing on the sensation of the breath and the visualization of the flower.

  1. Counting Breaths

Counting breaths is a simple and effective way to help children focus their attention and calm their minds. Have your child sit comfortably and take a deep breath in through their nose. As they inhale, have them silently count to four. Then, have them hold their breath for a count of four, and slowly exhale for a count of four. Encourage your child to repeat this process several times, focusing on the counting and the sensation of the breath.

In conclusion, deep breathing is a valuable tool for children to manage their emotions and reduce stress, particularly for those who struggle with anxiety. Encourage your child to practice these simple techniques regularly, and they will soon reap the benefits of a more relaxed and centered mind. If your child continues to struggle with anxiety, it may be helpful to seek support from a mental health professional who can provide additional resources and strategies.

jeff laponsie LMSW kalamazoo therapyJeff LaPonsie LMSW

Jeff LaPonsie is a clinical social worker at Kalamazoo Child and Family Counseling, PLLC. He provides counseling to children and families in the Kalamazoo, Portage, Mattawan, and South West Michigan area. He is passionate about helping challenging children and frustrated parents. Jeff has over seven years of experience working with at risk youth. His clinical expertise includes working with children with behavioral, anxiety, attachment and trauma related disorders.

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Anxiety COVID-19 Family Counseling Family Therapy Parenting • By Jeffrey LaPonsie 0 Comments

4 Tips To Get A Good Night’s Sleep

In today’s world, getting the right amount of sleep, not to mention good quality, can be very difficult. Below are some ideas on how to get the best sleep you can. 

Avoid Food and Drinks That Keep You Awake

Coffee, pop, tea, and chocolate all have caffeine levels that can interfere with sleep. It is helpful to avoid these items a few hours prior to going to bed. 

Promote a Sleeping Environment In Your Bedroom

  • A dark, cool room with temperatures between 60 and 75 degrees can help you fall asleep.
  • Blackout curtains help remove any light streaming in from windows.
  • White noise machines are useful if sleeping in total silence is difficult.
  • Use your bed for sleep only—this will help your body attribute the space to somewhere you go when it’s bedtime. 

Establish a “Getting Ready for Bed” Routine 

When you do the same low-strain activities right before bed, your body will start to recognize that these activities signal it’s almost time to go to sleep. Common calming activities include:

  • Brushing your teeth.
  • Taking a bath.
  • Practicing mindfulness and deep breathing exercises.
  • Reading a book. 
  • Avoiding any activity that will power your brain up such as:
    • Talking about emotional issues.
    • Exercising.
    • Working.

Watch Screen Time Before Bed

It is helpful to be mindful of how much screen time you engage in two hours prior to going to sleep. The blue light that is found in phones, tablets, computers, and TVs can trick your body into thinking it’s daytime and can increase alertness in the body. This makes sleep more difficult or of less quality. 

References:

Healthy Sleep. (2007). Twelve simple tips to improve your sleep. Retrieved from http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/getting/overcoming/tips

Yeager, A. (2017). Evening screen time can sabotage sleep. Retrieved from https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/evening-screen-time-can-sabotage-sleep

Anxiety Child Counseling Parenting • • • By Jeffrey LaPonsie 0 Comments

4 Tips To Help Anxious Kids Relax At Home

In today’s modern world, many kids are stressed by different aspects of life. When kids are feeling overly anxious or worried, have them try these relaxation tips to help them calm down and stay present.

Four Square Breathing

Four-Square Breathing is fun for kids to learn, since it can be described just like the game. Kids will:

  • Breathe in for four seconds
  • Hold their breath for four seconds
  • Breathe out for four seconds
  • Do nothing for four seconds

This exercise can be repeated as many times as necessary to help children calm down. 

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

In Progressive Muscle Relaxation, kids will tense up various muscles in their body and then release them, helping their body and mind calm down. Examples include:

  • Tensing their fists and releasing them.
  • Shrugging their shoulders up to their ears and dropping them.

Each pose can be held for a few seconds and then let go.

Mindfulness

Anxious kids tend to worry about things that have happened or what is to come. In moments like these, ask kids to take a minute to be present. They can do this by looking for a certain color and number of items in the room, such as:

  • Five blue things
  • Four green items

This can orient kids to their surroundings. Mindfulness also helps children take a break from thinking of the stressor. 

Imagery

When stressed, kids may wish they could go somewhere more pleasant. In these moments, it can be helpful for them to think of their favorite place in the world. Kids can close their eyes and imagine they are there. Adults can ask:

  • What does it feel like to sit in that place?
  • What does it smell like?
  • What are the surroundings?
  • Can you draw a picture of your favorite place so you can remember it when you feel stressed in the future?

Imagery helps get kids’ minds off their stressful thoughts and can remind them of places and times that are more pleasant. 

For more information about anxiety with kids and how Kalamazoo Child and Family Counseling can help, check out our page on anxiety: https://kzoofamilycounseling.com/index.php/jeff-laponsie-family-counseling/therapy-for-children-with-anxiety/

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Anxiety Child Counseling Parenting • By Jeffrey LaPonsie 0 Comments

Anxious child? Helping them have a give it a try attitude

Does your hesitant, or anxious child have a hard time trying new things.  Sometimes you probably wish they would just jump and give it a try.  It’s heart wrenching watching them at the sidelines too nervous to join in.  Many children who struggle with anxiety or who worry too much get stuck in the fear of doing something new.  It seems too risky, and they are paralyzed by all the “what if’s.”

Many times, when we want kids to not be anxious, what we’d really like to see, is them being brave.  How do kids learn to be brave?  Bravery is doing something despite feeling scared.   We want kids to try new things or do something despite their worry.  It is simply not realistic to believe that we can reduce all risk and reassure them that nothing bad will happen.  Parents don’t want to provide that sort of security, children need to be able to assess risk and act despite their worry.  After all we want kids to try out for the school play knowing not all who audition will get a part.  Likewise, we want kids to interview for a job, knowing that not everyone who interviews will be hired.

Offering reassurance to an anxious child

Reassuring statements like, “Nothing bad is going to happen,” or “You’ll be fine” surprisingly enough don’t persuade kids to not be anxious.  Additionally, we want nervous or avoidant children to do something despite being anxious, not only act when they feel fine.  An anxious child is more likely perceive an unfamiliar situation as threatening than a non-anxious child.

Anxious children have negative expectations about situations.  These negative expectations drive the fear response that children experience when faced with something uncertain.  Exploring these expectations with children helps them understand that these expectations are just thoughts and what they fear might happen doesn’t always happen.  Additionally, they learn that they can handle and cope with big fears.

Helping kids develop a “give it a try” attitude helps primarily in two ways to reduce anxiety

  1. Parents help children identify negative expectations and test what will happen when they face their fears.
  2. Children are exposed to their fear, and learn that they can cope and handle the stress.

 

Parents can have a tremendous impact on helping their nervous or hesitant child.  Help children talk about their negative expectations, evaluate and take risks help children learn to be brave and not paralyzed by fear.  Chris Hadfield, and astronaut who went blind in space talks about the difference between fear and danger.  The reality is most of the time for anxious children their fear of the situation is different than the danger of the situation and encouraging them to give it a try will help them learn that can deal with stress, anxiety and be just fine.

References:

Creswell, C., Parkinson, M., Thirlwall, K., & Willetts, L. (2017). Parent-led CBT for child anxiety: helping parents help their kids. New York: Guilford Press.

 

jeff laponsie LMSW kalamazoo

Jeff LaPonsie LMSW

Jeff LaPonsie is a clinical social worker at Kalamazoo Child and Family Counseling, PLLC. He provides counseling to children and families in the Kalamazoo, Portage, Mattawan, and the South West Michigan area. He is passionate about helping challenging children and frustrated parents. Jeff has over seven years of experience working with at risk youth. His clinical expertise includes providing play therapywith children with behavioral, anxiety, attachment and trauma related disorders.

 

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Anxiety Parenting • By Jeffrey LaPonsie 0 Comments

Avoidance and Anxiety in Children

Avoidance is one of the biggest culprits in the maintenance of anxiety in children.  Avoidance is directly connected to the fight or flight response  each one of us have.  If you’re the parent of an anxious child, helping your child feel calm and safe seems like a job that never ends.  You go through great lengths planning and preparing, and offering reassurance so that your son or daughter don’t experience panic.  After all, fixing problems, and making kids feel better is fundamental to being a parent.  The feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when your child feels fear is wrenching.  No parent wants to see their child in distress.  Whether it’s their panic of giving a speech in front of class, or having to memorize their line in the school play the urge to just make it better for kids in all but overwhelming.

Avoidance and the maintenance of anxiety

One of the most common ways to help children from their anxiety is to acquiesce to their urge to avoid.  For example, if your child is feeling nauseous thinking about going to boy scouts and giving a presentation to the troop, allowing him to be “sick” for the meet up would help calm his nerves.  Or encouraging a child to do something else at recess because the thought of playing football and getting hurt creates stress for the child.  There are many obvious and more subtle ways parents at times encourage child’s avoidance by trying to sooth his or her worries.

Whats the problem with Avoidance?

You might be wondering, what’s the problem with avoidance? Children who are anxious often times have limited experiences where they have gotten stressed out and realized that they are fine.  For some children with anxiety avoidance is their first and most effective strategy to cope with stress.  In fact whenever exposed to stress, anxious children’s first coping strategy  is often  to flee or avoid.  So when children are presented with a stressor, and then avoid the stress their discomfort is alleviated by the act of avoiding it.  In turn the strategy of avoidance is effective in coping and reenforces itself.

Avoidance has a very important role in everyone’s life.  It is connected one of our most important brain functions, our fight/flight/freeze response. The fight/flight/ freeze response is activated when our brain detects a threat.  It is an action of our limbic system, the part of our brain that handles emotions.  When our fight/flight system is activated our higher-order, more sophisticated brain processes come to a halt.  The prefrontal cortex, the part of our brain behind the forehead that manages decision making, planning, attention, executive function slows to a halt when our limbic system turns on.

Simply put it made little sense for the caveman to stop and think about whether the sabretooth tiger looked nice, or tame, or whether it appeared well nourished or hungry.  No the caveman that tried to evaluate the sabretooth was eaten.  The caveman that ran or fought lived.  The reflex to flee or avoid distress is primitive and hard wired into our brains.

The reflex to flee is very helpful when the danger is real.  Unfortunately, too often with children who are anxious the fear is different than the danger.  Often times the event that is prompting the anxiety is not dangerous,  we know that the child will be fine. The avoidance that we see play out in children is an exaggerated response because the child’s perception of how dangerous something is, is off.  Overly anxious children have a fight/flight/freeze response that is too easily activated by stress.  There is little stress that an anxious child can tolerate before their limbic systems hijacks the prefrontal cortex.

How to help Children who avoid

The work then with anxious children who are very avoidant  is to encourage them to have a “give it a try” attitude and to help them learn to tolerate low levels of stress.  Then we work with an anxious child to gradually increase the amount of stress they can handle.  This is similar to when someone goes swimming and they dip their toe in the water to check the tempature.  Next they slowly move from ankle-deep, to their knees, to their waist before eventually going under.  When children are exposed to stress and do not avoid it, they realize they are okay.  The more children experience anxiety and can calm down and realize they are safe, the more the drive to avoid is weakened.

jeff laponsie LMSW kalamazoo

 

 

 

 

Jeff LaPonsie LMSW

Jeff LaPonsie is a clinical social worker at Kalamazoo Child and Family Counseling, PLLC. He provides counseling to children and families in the Kalamazoo, Portage, Mattawan, and the South West Michigan area. He is passionate about helping challenging children and frustrated parents. Jeff has over seven years of experience working with at risk youth. His clinical expertise includes providing play therapywith children with behavioral, anxiety, attachment and trauma related disorders.

 

problems paying attention in school - ADHD or Anxiety?
Anxiety School • • • By Jeffrey LaPonsie 0 Comments

Problems paying attention in school – Is it ADHD or Anxiety?

Your child is having problems paying attention in school.  The teachers are concerned because your child doesn’t seem to be able to focus in class.   He seems to need to have instructions read to him multiple times.  Your child’s school just has you on speed dial about his level of activity. The school talks about how impulsive or active he is.  He blows up over minor problems and its getting in the way of making friends, or doing well in class.  By now a couple of people in your child’s life have talked to you about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).  When children have ADHD their difficulty attending is due to a neurological condition.

Some children who have problems paying attention in school have Attention Deficit Hyper Activity Disorder:

ADHD is a common neurological condition in children which impacts their ability to attend or focus. The overlap between anxiety and ADHD symptoms is often overlooked.  Anxiety symptoms are often mistaken for signs of ADHD—this is especially true in young, elementary age boys.  While the inability to concentrate or sit still may at first look appear to be ADHD, the question of why your child cannot attend is important.

ADHD or Anxiety – Why children have Problems paying attention in School?

The root of your child’s inability to attend is one of the most important questions parents, families, and teachers can ask—why is my child having problems paying attention in school? Concentration problems that stem from anxiety are rooted in emotion.  Children with anxiety are preoccupied by worry or are busy anticipating what is coming next.  These children’s preoccupation with the future or what could happen is not compatible with what is happening right now—kids who are worrying have trouble concentrating or listening.

Symptoms of inattention, distraction, fidgetiness and what appears to be boredom may actually be signs of anxiety.

Helping children who have problems paying attention in school

The help and support that children with anxiety need as opposed to children with ADHD is different.  Counseling for children with anxiety often involves evaluating anxious thoughts, helping kids feel safe, and avoiding reinforcing avoidance or providing reassurance which reinforces anxious thoughts or avoidant behavior.

It can be incredibly difficult to tell when children who are having trouble concentrating at school are suffering from anxiety or ADHD.  When parents and teachers are uncertain mental health professionals can assist in parsing the two apart, or knowing when both mental health problems may be coming in play with challenging children in the class room.

 

jeff laponsie LMSW kalamazoo

 

 

 

 

Jeff LaPonsie LMSW

Jeff LaPonsie is a clinical social worker at Kalamazoo Child and Family Counseling, PLLC. He provides counseling to children and families in the Kalamazoo, Portage, South West Michigan area. He is passionate about helping challenging children and frustrated parents. Jeff has over seven years of experience working with at risk youth. His clinical expertise includes working with children with behavioral, anxiety, attachment and trauma related disorders.

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Child Anxiety Therapist Portage MI
Anxiety School • • By Jeffrey LaPonsie 0 Comments

Helping Children with back to school Anxiety

Back to School Anxiety

The first day of school is an exciting time for children and parents. The sudden change in routine, mixed with the demands of the classroom can be tough on kids and their parents.  The hustle and bustle of getting ready for school on time and preparing to separate from mom or dad can amplify stress and anxiety for kids.  Separating for some children can be very challenging and incrediably distressing. For children who are already anxious, here are five ways to help relieve back to school anxiety.

Meet the Teacher

One of the biggest fears that anxious children have when they are going to a new class room is will I like my new teacher? Many schools prior to the start of the school year have a social night for new students to become acquainted with their new teacher, and classroom.  For children with anxiety reducing the unknown of who they will be spending their school day with prior to the start of the school year can help.

Tour the School

For children going to a school for the first time, or even a new room spending some extra time before school start tour the school is important. Knowing where their class or classes are before they’re expected to be “on-time” can reduce the panic of getting lost.  Some familiarity with the layout of the school will help ease some of the anxiety of going back to school but also help them have something to look forward to.

Prepare Sleep and Wake Routines

During summertime children sleep schedules relax. Bedtime in the summer is more flexible and adjusts for the energy spent during the day and the plans for tomorrow.  When school starts the importance of re-establishing a consistent bedtime is important.  The routine of knowing when bedtime is and when they wake up helps anxious children plan out their mornings and avoid feeling rushed in the morning.  Getting children ready for their school-year bedtime is good to start the week before school starts to help them adjust so that’s it one less change during the start of the school year.

Let children know what to expect

Along with having a consistent bed time, it is helpful for children with anxiety to have a clear plan of what expect during the school week. This includes knowing when the alarm is going off, when the school bus arrives, to when lunch and dismissal is.  For children who don’t read time, simply knowing the order of things helps the day become more predictable.

Talk to your child his or her feelings

Most importantly talk to your child about how they are feeling about school starting. What are they worried about, what are they excited about?  This is something that is helpful to do at the start of the school year and through the entire year.  Helping children talk about their worries helps them process and plan.  Checking in with them regularly (daily) is important help them handle anxiety in the moment, but also know before small problems become big problems.  Connecting with children about their anxiety with school gives them someone to go to when they need help.

 If you’d like to talk with someone about your child’s school anxiety contact us now for a free consultation.

jeff laponsie LMSW kalamazoo

 

 

 

 

 

Jeff LaPonsie LMSW

Jeff LaPonsie is a clinical social worker at Kalamazoo Child and Family Counseling, PLLC. He provides counseling to children and families in the Kalamazoo, Portage, and South West Michigan area. He is passionate about helping challenging children and frustrated parents. Jeff has over seven years of experience working with at risk youth. His clinical expertise includes working with children with behavioral, anxiety, attachment and trauma related disorders.

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anxiety symptoms in children
Anxiety Child Counseling • By Jeffrey LaPonsie 0 Comments

Anxiety Symptoms in Children

Anxiety symptoms in young children

Anxiety symptoms can look very different in younger kids than in adults. It can be difficult determining what is developmentally normal and what should be cause for concern.  Likewise some worry and stress is not problematic.

Asking for reassurance repeatedly

Examples of young children asking for reassurance may look like them repeatedly asking you to look over their homework, even though they’ve made no errors. Some children who are looking for reassurance will repeatedly call home from school to hear from their parents that they’re okay.  They may want to be told that he or she is a good boy or girl.  Asking for reassurance is a queue for parents that their child is worrying about what they are asking for reassurance with.  Asking for reassurance is a common anxiety symptom.

Trouble sleeping at night

Many children have trouble sleeping for lots of different reasons. One reason why some children struggle with sleep is that they are unable to let go things that they are worrying about.  Kids who worry to the point where it interferes with sleep may have anxiety.  I previously wrote a blog post about how to help children with anxiety sleep better.

Trouble concentrating

This is not always thought of as an anxiety symptom.  It can be difficult to tell why a child is not able to attend or concentrate at school. Some children have neurodevelopmental disorder like Attention Deficit Hyper Activity Disorder (ADHD) and have difficulty attending.  However, kids who are worrying or preoccupied with anxious thoughts at school may also have trouble concentrating.

Restlessness or being on edge

Some anxious children just seem to explode out of nowhere. They may seem irritable or grumpy.  Children who are chronically worried are oftentimes overwhelmed.  For a child with an anxiety a seemingly mild or small stressor may be just enough to overwhelm what they were previously just barely managing to handle.

Most common anxiety disorders and their symptoms

Separation Anxiety – Age inappropriate stress and anxiety over separating from caregiver. This sort of anxiety interferes with a child’s ability to actually separate, or how they function when they have separated.  Some children with separation anxiety disorder cannot separate to attend school or daycare, or need to sleep in their parent’s bed at night.

Generalized Anxiety – This is one the most common anxiety disorders in children. These children worry excessively about many things like school, health, safety or family members. They may always think of the worst that could happen. Some children have physical symptoms, like headaches, stomachaches, muscle tension, or tiredness

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – This is commonly thought of when people think of veterans coming back from war. PTSD in children can be result of any number of traumatic events, such as a car crash, physical or sexual abuse, being exposed to violence, medical trauma, the list goes on.  Common symptoms of PTSD in children include always being on the lookout, thinking about the traumatic thing that happened when they don’t want to, sleep disturbances, fear or avoidance of reminders of the traumatic event.

Social Anxiety – This is often characterized by children avoiding or becoming distressed in situations where are required to interact with others. Social anxiety can be triggered in children when they’re required to speak or perform in front of others.

Phobias – These are intense, often irrational fears of people, places or things. Common phobias include driving, dogs, flying on an airplanes or heights.  Children with phobias desperately avoid, or become distressed when exposed to whatever they fear.

If you’d like to talk with someone about your child’s anxiety symptoms contact us now for a free consultation.

jeff laponsie LMSW kalamazoo

 

 

 

 

 

Jeff LaPonsie LMSW

Jeff LaPonsie is a clinical social worker at Kalamazoo Child and Family Counseling, PLLC. He provides counseling to children and families in the Kalamazoo, Portage, and South West Michigan area. He is passionate about helping challenging children and frustrated parents. Jeff has over seven years of experience working with at risk youth. His clinical expertise includes working with children with behavioral, anxiety, attachment and trauma related disorders.

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Anxiety Parenting • • By Jeffrey LaPonsie 0 Comments

Anxiety and Sleep: How to help young children with anxiety sleep better

5 Tips for helping children with anxiety sleep better

Many children with anxiety have trouble sleeping. In today’s post, I wanted to write about specific things parents can do to help their young child fall asleep. Often children with anxiety or PTSD (those struggling with traumatic stress) have sleep problems.  Sometimes children with anxiety have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep.  Finally, some children have frequent nightmares that also make  nighttime hard. Here are some tips to make nighttime easier for everyone.

Set the stage for sleep

Have your child’s room cool and dark. A warm bath an hour or two before bed will also help. Drops in temperature help signal the body that its time sleep.  Helping to make sure kids are comfortable is one of the first steps in helping alleviate sleep trouble.

Remove distractions

There’s a lot of research showing that TV, video games, tablets and phones are very stimulating. It’s difficult to get kids ready to sleep when they’re amped up by an exciting cartoon, or worse, a scary movie.  Consider unplugging a few hours before bed to help kids get prepared for sleep.

Limit excitement and physical exercise

Physical exercise is great for kids, but not right before bed. Part of getting  children with anxiety ready for bed is helping them get calm enough to sleep. Additionally, soothing, nurturing activities are very helpful for kids with trouble sleeping.  Try snuggling and reading a book together or doing something else together that is calming.

Creating a night time routine to reduce anxiety

Having a night time ritual is one the single more important things parents can do to help anxious or worried children sleep. The night time ritual should be very consistent.  I tell parents that it should be a routine you can set your watch to, despite how hectic the day may have been.   Routine helps create safety and predictability, both of which help children with anxiety or nightmares relax before bed.

Lights out with a song or book

Saying good night after finishing a story time or lullaby is a wonderful way to end a night time routine that focuses on helping anxious or traumatized kids feel safe before bed. Both songs and stories can help lower the arousal in kids, which helps their brains know it’s time sleep.

In closing, making these relaxing activities part of a predictable night time ritual is very important in helping ease children into sleep. Helping children with anxiety sleep better requires lots of patience and routine.  Hopefully these 5 tips for helping children with anxiety sleep better is a good place for your family to start.

 

jeff laponsie LMSW kalamazoo

 

 

 

 

Jeff LaPonsie LMSW

Jeff LaPonsie is a clinical social worker at Kalamazoo Child and Family Counseling, PLLC. He provides counseling to children and families in the Kalamazoo, Portage, and South West Michigan area. He is passionate about helping challenging children and frustrated parents. Jeff has over seven years of experience working with at risk youth. His clinical expertise includes working with children with behavioral, anxiety, attachment and trauma related disorders.

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