| Social Anxiety Disorder, a disorder that | | | | want to take part in social activities that |
| affects millions of people, can affect | | | | are appropriate for their age. However, they |
| children as well. Studies have shown that | | | | are often quite comfortable in social |
| both boys and girls are equally affected by | | | | situations with adults, and only seem to have |
| social anxiety disorder. The symptoms that | | | | problems interacting with their peers. As |
| children have are often the same as the | | | | adults, we often forget how hard it really is |
| symptoms that adults have, but their reaction | | | | to be a child. Unless you have social anxiety |
| to those symptoms is quite different. | | | | yourself, you probably cannot begin to |
| Children may experience headaches, dizziness, | | | | imagine what a typical day of school is like |
| tummy aches, diarrhea, joint pains, or nausea | | | | for a child who has social anxiety disorder. |
| before or during a peer related social event. | | | | These children are filled with anxiety every |
| The symptoms can become so severe that they | | | | single day. They have few friends, and often |
| cause complete mutism, where the child is | | | | have no friends. They are viewed as loners by |
| unable or unwilling to speak. Social phobia | | | | adults, and as 'weird' by their peers. These |
| in children can accompany other disorders, | | | | children are very lonely, and if left |
| such as generalized anxiety disorder, | | | | untreated, they will fail to develop adequate |
| separation anxiety, and depression. Children | | | | social skills. Unfortunately, children can be |
| who withdraw from social interaction, or | | | | very cruel to each other. This natural |
| become distressed in unfamiliar situations as | | | | cruelty just increases the anxiety that these |
| toddlers are more likely to develop social | | | | children feel, and causes them to draw even |
| anxiety disorder than toddlers who approach | | | | further away from their peers out of fear of |
| others and show no distress in unfamiliar | | | | ridicule or humiliation. Some children will |
| situations. Since children who have social | | | | eventually refuse to attend school. Others |
| anxiety are usually quiet, and do not exhibit | | | | will drop out at the first opportunity. Many |
| behavioral problems, the problem goes | | | | medications that are used to treat social |
| unnoticed by adults - unless they know what | | | | anxiety disorder in adults are not suitable |
| they are looking for. Unlike adults, children | | | | for children. Psychotherapy is the preferred |
| do not have the capacity to realize that | | | | treatment for children - without medication, |
| their fears are excessive or unreasonable. | | | | if possible. Often, when children are |
| This can lead to even more problems. Children | | | | diagnosed and treated early for social |
| who suffer from social anxiety disorder often | | | | anxiety, they go on to live very productive |
| turn to drugs or alcohol in their teen years, | | | | lives, with no traces of social anxiety |
| to self medicate themselves, which helps them | | | | disorder in their adult lives. Gary Miller is |
| feel more comfortable, and 'normal' in social | | | | the author of "Prisoners of Our Thoughts: How |
| situations. Children with social anxiety | | | | to break free from the grips of Social |
| experience excessive shyness and tantrums. | | | | Anxiety and Fear." To learn more about the |
| They tend to cry alot, and have a strong, | | | | book click here to go to the website at |
| clinging attachment to their parents. There | | | | |
| is usually a decline in their academic | | | | Gary Miller was so scared that he actually |
| performance at school, and they will usually | | | | passed out during a presentation and couldn't |
| avoid going to school. These children do not | | | | talk after due to numerous social anxieties. |