Kids Afraid of Life
It's Different for Kids continued...
The difference between garden-variety shyness and social
anxiety can be found in how much the condition is affecting daily life. "If
the child is avoiding things that normal kids like to do, you may be in the
realm of disorder rather than just shyness," says Markway.
Approximately 3-5% of the population suffers from social
anxiety, says Deborah Beidel, PhD, professor of psychology and co-director of
the Maryland Center for Anxiety Disorders at the University of Maryland in
College Park. The incidence in children younger than 12 is about 3%, and in
adolescents, about 5%, she says. Beidel is co-author with Samuel M. Turner,
PhD, of Shy Children, Phobic Adults: The Nature and Treatment of Social
Boys and girls are equally affected, but girls are more likely
to admit it, says Beidel. The condition can be clearly diagnosed as young as
age 8. Younger children may also suffer from social anxiety, but it's harder to
diagnose them because they may be unable to fully express their feelings.
Because the children who suffer from social anxiety usually
aren't the troublemakers in school, they may get overlooked, says Beidel.
Social phobia tends to run in families. If a parent suffers
from any kind of anxiety disorder, it's more likely the child will, too, says
Beidel. The condition may also be learned: If parents are shy, they may not
take their child to different places, to meet different people, and the child
will not learn to cope with new situations.
It's important to treat social anxiety as early as possible,
both experts agree.
"This is not something you outgrow without
intervention," says Beidel.
Adds Markway, "Social anxiety can be a precursor to
depression in adolescence, and in adults can lead, along with depression, to
substance abuse, even suicide."
When treating social anxiety in adults, medications such as
SSRIs. Paxil, for example, has been FDA approved to treat social anxiety in
adults. Though SSRIs have not received FDA approval for the treatment of social
anxiety in children, they can be used successfully, says Markway.