In the movie From inside to outside 2Riley, 13, who recently began puberty, has panic attack during a hockey game timeout.
Anxiety (the emotion accountable for the panic attack) becomes completely crazy and Riley looks like she is losing control. After some time, Anxiety calms down and Riley’s panic attack subsides.
The film does an ideal job of capturing the experience of a panic attack. But panic attacks (and anxiety) don’t just occur to teenagers – younger children can have them too.
It’s essential to know what to look out for and how you can respond when feeling anxious or panicked, as this may assist you and your child cope higher with these worrying symptoms.
What does a panic attack in a child seem like?
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A panic attack is a sudden, intense feeling of fear or discomfort accompanied by a minimum of 4 of the next symptoms:
- feel very popular or cold
- heartbeat
- dyspnoea
- feeling of tightness within the throat or chest
- exploitation
- tingle
- dizziness.
Panic attacks in children can last from a number of minutes to half-hour.
Some children describe a panic attack as feeling trapped or threatened, that something terrible is happening to them, that they’re losing control of their body, having a heart attack, and even dying.
Often the child doesn’t realize that their symptoms are related to anxiety. This experience will be very frightening for kids and others around them who have no idea what is happening.
How common are panic attacks and at what age do they occur?
There is a typical myth that panic attacks only occur in teenagers and adults, but tests shows that this is not the case.
Although panic attacks are less common amongst teenagers, they do occur in children. Research shows around 3–5% of youngsters experience panic attacks.
They can start at any age, although normally occurs for the primary time in children and adolescents aged 5 to 18 years.
What causes a panic attack?
In some children, panic attacks can occur unexpectedly and for no apparent reason. These are referred to as “unannounced” panic attacks.
Other children could have ‘signaled’ panic attacks, meaning they occur in specific anxiety-provoking situations, equivalent to being separated from a caregiver or giving a speech in school.
Panic attacks with signals are inclined to more common Children usually tend to have panic attacks than unexpected attacks.
Sometimes a panic attack can occur when a child’s physical symptoms (feeling anxious) change into the main focus of their attention. For example, if a child notices a physical symptom (equivalent to shortness of breath) and starts to fret about it, this may make them feel anxious, resulting in more anxiety or a panic attack.
If children understand that their physical symptoms are an indication of tension fairly than a serious health problem, they’ll learn to not pay an excessive amount of attention to them and stop the vicious cycle.
What can parents do without delay to support their child?
If your child is respiratory in a short time or hyperventilating, attempt to stay calm and encourage them to breathe normally.
Tell your child that these feelings are temporary and never dangerous. Focusing in your child’s rapid respiratory or other symptoms can sometimes make things worse.
Try helping your child give attention to something else through the use of the 3-3-3 rule: “Tell me three things you can hear, three things you can see, and three things you can touch.” Ask your child to say them out loud.
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If your child is complaining of somatic symptoms but is not experiencing a full-blown panic attack, try to know and acknowledge the symptoms they’re experiencing.
Once you’re certain their symptoms are usually not a physical health issue, tell them the whole lot can be OK, after which move on to something else. This will help redirect their attention and keep their anxiety and symptoms from escalating.
What next?
Once your child’s panic attack has passed, you possibly can teach them about panic attacks. Explain that panic attacks are common and never dangerous, although they could seem scary and uncomfortable, and are a brief feeling.
An effective strategy for panic attacks is a cognitive behavioral therapy technique called “exposure,” which inspires children to face their fears. In the case of panic attacks, this may occasionally involve facing certain situations or objects that trigger the attack, or exposing them to the actual physical symptoms.
Exposure therapy is typically done with the support of a therapist, but there are an increasing variety of programs that help parents conduct exposure therapy with their child.
Does my child having a panic attack mean she or he has an anxiety disorder?
If your child has a panic attack, it doesn’t suggest they’ve an anxiety disorder. Panic attacks can occur to all children, with or without an anxiety disorder or mental health problem.
However, panic attacks are common occur in children with anxiety disorders or other mental disorders equivalent to depression or post-traumatic stress disorder.
Panic disorder is a selected kind of anxiety disorder wherein panic attacks are a core feature. Panic disorder is not quite common in childrenand occurs in lower than 1% pre-pubertal children. It normally appears in adolescence or maturity.
If your child has panic attacks continuously and unexpectedly, is persistently afraid (for a minimum of a month) of having more panic attacks, or avoids situations that may trigger panic attacks, this may occasionally indicate an anxiety disorder.
If your child has panic attacks in response to certain situations or fears, equivalent to separation from a caregiver, and these fears interfere with their each day life, this may occasionally indicate an anxiety disorder.
Where can I seek help?
If you’re concerned that your child has an anxiety disorder, consult with your GP or psychologist about it.
You don’t need a referral from your loved ones doctor to see a psychologist, but your loved ones doctor can issue one. mental health treatment plan allowing you to use for Medicare reimbursement for as much as ten sessions.
A spread of options are also available online resources.