Social anxiety disorder in children is a problem that is often not recognized. Many people feel this is a condition that mainly affects adults. About fourteen percent of the adult population has social anxiety compared to about one percent of children. For children this condition can interfere with normal social development. The child may get anxious when meeting new people, when involved in common social situations and fear interaction with others. A child with social anxiety may cry, freeze, withdraw from a situation or even throw a tantrum.

There is a combination of two factors that causes social anxiety disorder in children. These factors are genetic and environment. This disorder is often passed on from parent to child. Infants and children watch people and parents to help them learn behaviors and social interactions. If an infant observes their parents avoiding social situation and getting anxious when interacting with others they are more likely to pick up these same behaviors. Other issues can also cause this disorder. If a child has speech troubles, a physical illness, is a victim of abuse or neglect or encounters an embarrassing situation, they may get shy and panic when they are in public or interacting with other people, showing real signs of anxiety.

There are some signs and symptoms that a child may have social anxiety. In public the child may freeze, have a tantrum or refuse to speak to others. These signs are most likely to appear when the child is facing their most feared social situation. For children these situations can include : reading out loud in class, speaking to adults, starting a conversation with peers, ordering food (or sweets) when out in public and attending social events such as birthday parties. Other signs include not asking the teacher for help in class and a fear of eating in front of other people. In adults the symptoms are a little different. Adults will sweat, have tremors, blush and also try to avoid social situations. Adults may also have a hard time interacting with others at work. Social anxiety disorder in children affects their ability to learn normal, healthy social interactions. If they are afraid to converse with their peers it will affect relationship building skills which can carry over into adult life.

Social anxiety disorder in children can affect the child negatively in many ways. The child can be lonely from lack of interaction with others and have few if any friends. These children are less likely to participate in school activities and pretend to be sick so they do not have to go to school. Other children may refuse to attend school completely. Missing time at school can have a negative affect on their grades and ability to learn. The child can develop behavioral problems at school. The risk for suicide increases in children with social anxiety though they are more likely to attempt suicide as teen or adults.

There are ways to help children with social anxiety disorder. The child has to be exposed to social situations with a trusted adult. This should be done in small incremental steps. If a child does not like or want to speak to other children they can start out by saying hello to one child at a time. Social anxiety disorder in children can be difficult to spot and often goes unrecognized. Working with the child in small steps and being aware of the symptoms can help a child develop healthy social skills and in turn healthy self esteem. Armed with the knowledge that this is a real problem and what we need to look out for, it is important that we be vigilant and spot early signs of social anxiety disorder in children.

George Hunter is a writer and blogger about Social Anxiety Disorder and other anxiety related topics. He has created a website resource to help fellow sufferers find a solution to their condition. Why not have a look at http://www.SocialAnxietyDisorderGuide.com to find out what you can do about Social Anxiety and other types of Anxiety and Panic disorders.

George Hunter is a writer and blogger about Social Anxiety and other anxiety related topics. He has created a website resource to help fellow sufferers find a solution to their condition. Why not have a look at http://www.SocialAnxietyDisorderGuide.com to find out more about Anxiety related topics.

Author Bio: George Hunter is a writer and blogger about Social Anxiety Disorder and other anxiety related topics. He has created a website resource to help fellow sufferers find a solution to their condition. Why not have a look at http://www.SocialAnxietyDisorderGuide.com to find out what you can do about Social Anxiety and other types of Anxiety and Panic disorders.

Category: Family Concerns
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