Anxiety in Children: When to Worry and Seek Help

Recognizing Anxiety: When Is It More Than Just Worry?

If you're a parent, you’ve likely seen your child go through moments of fear or hesitation—maybe before a spelling test, the first day at school, or saying goodbye at the school gate. That’s natural. Worry, in small doses, is part of growing up. But how do you know when it’s evolved into something more? Something that’s quietly affecting their ability to enjoy childhood, learn, or sleep at night?

Childhood anxiety can be subtle. It may show up in the form of frequent stomachaches, refusal to go to school, sudden clinginess, or even irritability. What makes this so hard for parents is that anxiety doesn’t always announce itself in clear language—it hides behind behaviors that seem unrelated or age-typical. And in children between 6 and 12, emotional growth is complex, layered, and highly individual.

How to Tell if It’s Time to Seek Support

There isn’t a perfect checklist to determine whether your child’s anxiety needs professional attention. But there are certain patterns that can gently signal it’s time to speak with someone:

• Interference with daily life: Is your child’s anxiety stopping them from doing age-appropriate things—like going on playdates, participating in class, or sleeping in their own bed?
• Intensity and duration: Do the worries seem persistent, not just situational? Have they lasted for more than a few weeks, and do they come up regardless of reassurance?
• Physical symptoms with no medical explanation: Headaches, nausea, racing heart, or trouble breathing? Anxiety doesn’t just live in the mind—it often speaks through the body.
• Avoidance behaviors: Does your child try to escape or avoid certain people, activities, or places—even when those things are typically safe and enjoyable?

These signs don’t necessarily mean there’s a serious problem—but they are signals worth exploring further. You know your child. Trust your instincts. If you find yourself walking on eggshells or constantly adjusting routines to manage your child’s fears, it might be time to consider support.

The Emotional Weight of Carrying Their Anxiety

You’re doing your best—comforting them at bedtime, emailing teachers, reading every parenting article you can find. And still, you sometimes lie awake wondering: Is this just a phase? Are they okay?

If that’s you, you’re not alone. Anxiety doesn’t just affect children—it ripples outward, changing how we parent and how we feel in our own bodies. It’s exhausting to nurture a child who is scared all the time. Empowerment comes not from having all the answers but from knowing where support exists—and that it's okay to ask for help before things feel unmanageable.

Soothing Moments Matter More Than You Think

While professional help may be important, the day-to-day, imperfect ways you support your child also matter. Holding space for their feelings—even when they break your heart or seem small—can begin to shift things. One powerful tool you can start using today is active listening: slowing down, validating emotions, and letting them unfold without trying to fix them immediately.

Small rituals can also create lasting impact. For some kids, daily positive affirmations become an anchor. For others, it’s imaginative play that allows them to process fears in a safe, symbolic way. If your child struggles to fall asleep due to intrusive thoughts, you may want to read more about helping your child sleep alone or easing nighttime anxiety.

Finding Calmer Evenings Without Screens

In homes where anxiety hangs in the air, winding down can be hard. That’s why carefully chosen routines matter. One gentle, tech-supported idea some families explore is audio storytelling. Listening to calming voices and well-crafted stories can help anxious minds shift focus and ease into bedtime. iOS and Android users can explore the LISN Kids App, which offers original audiobooks and audio series designed for children ages 3–12. It’s not a fix-all, but it can be a small way to offer your child comfort, curiosity, and day-ending calm—without screens.

When Professional Guidance Is the Next Step

Some parents hesitate at this step—worrying that seeing a therapist will label their child, or that it “means something is wrong.” But mental health care for kids isn’t about labels. It’s about giving them tools earlier in life, when their brains are still flexible and their sense of self is still forming.

If your child’s daily life is being shaped by fear, if the same worries keep coming up without relief, if they are developing habits that isolate or exhaust them—it’s not just okay to ask for help, it’s wise. Start with your pediatrician. They can guide you to appropriate child therapists, cognitive behavioral therapy options, or school-based support teams that specialize in anxiety in kids.

You’re Not Alone in This

Helping an anxious child means being gentle—with them, and with yourself. You don’t have to get everything right. And moments of progress might look different than you expect. Sometimes, it’s not the absence of fear, but the growing belief that they can face it—and that you’ll be beside them every step of the way.

For more ways to reduce daily stress and develop resilience together, explore how imaginative play or connection routines can help your child feel more secure. No one raises children in isolation—and no parent should feel alone in their child’s struggles. Seeking support is not failure; it’s courage, in action.