![]() It’s helpful to be familiar with the side effect profile of ADHD medications. However, there are also studies that seem to establish a link between ADHD medications and a reduced risk of anxiety in children. In some cases, stimulants may trigger anxiety symptoms. This process helps enhance focus and manage ADHD-induced symptoms. Stimulant medications target the central nervous system and activate specific brain chemicals. They’ll help you determine if behavioral therapy is a good initial route for you to consider before moving on to treatment with prescription medications. ![]() If your child is diagnosed with both ADHD and anxiety, it’s best that you speak with a mental health professional. Your Child is Diagnosed with Both ADHD and Anxiety There’s evidence that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) works, as do prescription medications such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants. Anxiety can take different forms and could require a combination of therapeutic interventions. If your child has been diagnosed with anxiety, treatment can be challenging. But if recommended, prescription medications include stimulants and non-stimulants.Īlthough stimulant medications may make anxiety symptoms more pronounced in some cases, they’re often prescribed for children 6 and older diagnosed with ADHD, with or without a known anxiety disorder. Your child should inhale for a count of four, hold for four, and exhale for four.Ī combination of behavior therapy and school interventions are typically recommended before trying a course of medication. Encourage your child to visualize blowing up a balloon while taking a very deep breath. ![]() Deep breathing slows down the heart rate and relieves muscle tension. Teach Deep Breathingĭeep breathing is a great strategy for young children. I can do this.” When kids “talk back” to their worry brains and replace anxious thoughts with positive ones, they can interrupt the worry cycle and reset themselves. In a calm moment, have your child practice saying, “No. Teach your child to practice thought-stopping at home. Anxious thoughts tend to overwhelm kids all at once, and it can be difficult to recover once the brain shifts into a pattern of anxious thinking. Teach Thought StoppingĪnxious kids struggle with flooding. Kids can also use the worry thermometer at home, or use a worry journal to keep a list of anxious and intrusive thoughts. This will help the classroom teacher understand his anxiety hot spots. He can color in the thermometer to the appropriate level and write down the time of day. Your child can keep a “worry thermometer” in his backpack or desk to jot times when he felt “hot” with anxiety during the school day. ![]() An ADHD child struggles with the workload due to poor organizational skills and reduced attention span. Slow Work HabitsĪnxious children can struggle with perfectionism, making it difficult to complete in-class and homework assignments. A child with ADHD is likely to have low impulse control and poor social skills, which makes it difficult to sustain friendships. Poor Peer RelationshipsĪ child with social anxiety will struggle to make and maintain friendships due to fears about rejection or difficulty regulating emotional thoughts while engaged with peers. For an ADHD child, inattention is a symptom of the disorder. To the teacher or parent, this looks like inattention. The following are just a few of the many ways in which symptoms of ADHD and anxiety overlap: InattentionĪn anxious child might check out and tune into his worries. Be aware that classroom teachers may be more familiar with symptoms of ADHD than they are with anxiety so it's not uncommon for confusion to arise at school. Anxiety looks a lot like ADHD for many children, so it’s important to have your child evaluated by someone who is familiar with the nuances of ADHD in order to determine the best course of treatment. ![]()
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