Generalized Anxiety Disorder in children and teens is characterized by persistent and excessive worry that lasts for at least six months. Symptoms of anxiety include:
• Excessive worry
• Difficulty controlling the worry
• Feeling restless or on edge
• Easily fatigued
• Difficulty concentrating
• Muscle tension
• Sleep disturbance
All children have worries from time to time, but children with Generalized Anxiety Disorder are excessively worried and the symptoms are significantly distressing and cause impairment in functioning. The most common worries for children are school or sports performance, and catastrophic events such as earthquakes. Anxious children tend to be perfectionists and may need excessive reassurance.
Asperger’s Disorder and anxiety disorders are not easily mistaken for one another. However, a child with Asperger’s Disorder may have an anxiety disorder that is overlooked. Although we do not know how many children with Asperger’s Disorder have an anxiety disorder, research studies do show that they have more anxiety disorders than children with other types of psychological conditions and more anxiety than the general population of children. These findings are true as young as preschool and become more prevalent as Asperger’s Disorder children grow.