Natural Solutions for Managing Pediatric Anxiety and Stress

Life is stressful for all of us.
Children today are more anxious than at any other time in history.
About 11.6% of kids had anxiety in 2012, up 20% from 2007.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, those numbers nearly doubled. Now, 20.5% of youth worldwide now struggle with anxiety symptoms, according to a meta-analysis of 29 studies reported in JAMA Pediatrics (Vol. 175, No. 11, 2021).

Why are More Kids More Anxious?

Psychology Today cites multiple reasons for this increased pediatric anxiety, including:

1. High Pressure to Excel: When mistakes are tantamount to failure instead of stepping stones to growth, kids are more likely to feel unsafe making mistakes as part of the learning process.
2. Sensing/Mirroring Adults’ Stress: Children are energy sensors: they know when parents and other trusted adults in their lives are stressed, and will mirror what’s being modeled for them.
3. Increased Screen Time: More screen time (and the constant media exposure that goes with it) means less time face-to-face. That can lead to increased isolation, which contributes to pediatric stress. Social media tends to encourage perfectionism. The dysfunction that comes from unrealistic comparison with others can affect children into adulthood if it isn’t addressed proactively.
4. They’re overbooked. Kids are often overscheduled in sports and extracurricular activities, which doesn’t leave them much chance to recharge.
5. They get mixed messages, Sometimes the adults in their lives do too much for them. Other times, kids are treated as too fragile. It’s difficult to build the mental resilience necessary to cope with childhood anxiety without consistency. We all need to struggle at times to figure things out and grow. Doing things for others is not helpful, especially when done all the time.
6. Less unstructured play. Unstructured outdoor play is often where kids learn to use their imagination, resolve conflicts, and form strong bonds with their peers— all of which are healthy coping strategies for anxiety.
7. Lack of Validation: Everyday conversations about mental health can sometimes be dismissive of more serious, profound childhood anxiety. When words like, “anxiety” and “trauma” are used too casually, it can seem to kids like their experience is being watered down or dismissed. That can exacerbate feelings of isolation and helplessness, as children struggle without the support they need. Normalizing dysfunction is not a healthy choice for children or adults.

Anxious Kids? Holistic Healthcare Can Help

Anxiety is an acquired condition. It can be “un-acquired” with caring effort, and a capable support system. Integrative pediatric care teams can help children and families when anxiety hits, whatever the cause. Here are some of the ways holistic healthcare benefits kids with anxiety and stress:

• We have conversations to help children and youth identify the source of their anxiety and create a plan to help them resolve it for good.
• We focus our energy on “rewiring” kids’ anxious minds through proven techniques like neurofeedback, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and eye movement desensitization reprocessing (EMDR).
• We only use medication as a last resort. We recommend natural homeopathic anxiety remedies and Chinese Medicine, acupuncture, and herbs when indicated.

Anxiety Management as a Lifestyle

When anxiety management becomes a lifestyle for children and their families, long-term balance and well-being are much more attainable. Here are some simple but powerful adjustments you can make to create a low-stress, low-anxiety environment for your children.

• Kid-Friendly Mindfulness Practice: Knowing what you’re feeling and when your feelings change is an essential skill for healthy psychosocial development. Simple mindfulness exercises only take a few seconds (or minutes) to complete. They’re a great way for families to slow down together and experience the power of a pause.
  Checkout the books by Daniel Siegel, MD The Whole Brain Childand Parenting from the Inside Out.
• Spending Time Outside: Time outdoors can make us feel better right away. Why not go on a couple of family walks each week, or spend an afternoon at the park? This change of scenery might be all it takes to “flip the switch” that helps kids shift their perspective and better cope with their emotions. It is well-studied that being in sync with nature can help us heal. Gardening, planting flowers, growing herbs or vegetables: all these fun activities can boost children’s mood as well as their confidence.
• Unplugging/Limiting Screen Time: Too much screen time can increase anxiety and overstimulation. Poor emotional regulation and disrupted sleep may be signs that your child needs to unplug. Consider reducing and limiting screen time as a family, especially when winding down and getting ready for bed. You’ll be impressed by how much better you feel over time.
• Food and Metabolic Health: Getting body typed through ohoseminars.com can be a big step in eating right for our whole body. This can have a profound impact on our body’s response to stress and anxiety.

Calmer, Happier Kids: That’s Our Goal, Too

We love seeing kids thriving: happy, regulated, and in touch with their minds and bodies. That means supporting and empowering parents, families, and caregivers. If you’re looking for holistic pediatric healthcare that includes anxiety and stress management, we’re here to help.

The Franz Center offers holistic, integrative pediatric healthcare services for children and adults in the Orlando area. If you’ve been looking for help with your kids’ anxiety and stress, we can create a care plan just for them. Contact us today to learn more about how we can support your child.