Child & Teen Anxiety Therapy in Los Angeles
Anxiety in children & teens is very common. While it can manifest in many different disorders, anxiety can be treated.
Our team of expert clinicians at WaveMind have years of experience treating children with anxiety. If you are looking for support for your child’s anxiety, we are here to help.
1 in 14 youth in the US will be diagnosed with anxiety before they turn 18.
While fairly common in youth, anxiety can come in many different forms. Because of this, it's often misunderstood by pediatricians and teachers, usually attributed to shyness or anger, or even autism.
Anxiety has been with humans for millions of years -it's what kept our ancestors alive. It still serves an important function in helping us escape dangerous, life threatening situations through the "fight or flight" response.
But when our brain kicks into overdrive, we can start to treat too many situations as life or death. This is not healthy, and this is when symptoms of anxiety can start to interfere with our lives.
The good news is that anxiety can be treated. Through treatment, consistent practice, and (in some cases) medication, your child can overcome their anxiety.
Information on Anxiety Disorders
Selective Mutism (SM)
Selective mutism is an anxiety disorder that prevents children from speaking in certain situations, for example at school, despite their ability to speak freely in situations they’re comfortable with. Selective mutism is commonly misdiagnosed as "shyness".
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
OCD is characterized by obsessive and unwanted thoughts, and accompanying compulsive behaviors typically to get rid of these thoughts. Children and teens with OCD often have certain rituals or routines and may become upset if these routines are disrupted.
Separation Anxiety Disorder (SAD)
Children that struggle with separation anxiety disorder may experience significant distress when separating from a parent or loved one (e.g., going to school, sleeping on their own). They may worry that something bad will happen to them or a loved one and try very hard to avoid being away from loved ones.
Social Anxiety Disorder
Children and teens with social anxiety disorder may have many worries and fears in various social situations. Many children and teens with social anxiety will avoid interacting with peers or adults due to their fears.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Children and teens with generalized anxiety disorder have many worries that are hard to stop. They may try to avoid activities or disruptions in their routines that cuase them stress, or they may have physical complaints like stomachaches or difficulty sleeping due to worry.
Panic Disorder
Youth that have panic disorder experience panic attacks that may seem to come out of nowhere. They may become very fearful of sensations in their bodies and avoid certain places or things that may trigger these sensations.
