Ten Tips to Keep
Kids Calm and Cool
ost of us have felt the symptoms of anxiety: persistent
fear or uneasiness, a racing heartbeat, shortness of breath,
nausea or disruption to sleep. It is normal for children, too,
to occasionally experience anxiety. But when they do not outgrow the
normal fears of childhood, such as separation anxiety, or when these
fears disrupt their daily lives, they may have an anxiety disorder.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as
many as 4.4 million or about 7% of children ages 3-17 have diagnosed
anxiety. Experts suggest that children with special needs are even
more likely than their peers to experience anxiety. For example,
according to one study, nearly 40% of young people with autism
spectrum disorder (ASD) also had an anxiety disorder. Further,
anxiety may manifest differently in children with special needs.

“Anxiety often presents in children as a change to their usual
behavior, behavioral outbursts or meltdowns, changes in daily habits
such as sleep or eating or difficulty with self-regulation,” says Dr.

Elizabeth M. Chawla, co-director of the Integrated Mental Health
Clinic at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital Pediatrics.

“Neurodiverse children can present with any of these symptoms
but might have more nuanced or varied expressions of anxiety. For
example, neurodiverse children experiencing anxiety might have
frequent behavioral outbursts, be less tolerant of changes in routine,
22 Washington FAMILY JULY 2022
be less tolerant of stimuli or might become overwhelmed and upset
more easily. For children with differences in communication, it
may be more difficult to express an increase in worries or fears
with caregivers, so it is important for caregivers to be mindful of
these signs.”
According to Rebekah Hagan, LCSW-C, a psychotherapist for
Sheppard Pratt’s nationally recognized Outpatient Mental Health
Center in Maryland, children with special needs may be more prone
to experiencing the symptoms of anxiety or an anxiety disorder.

“Children with special needs may feel like they are different and
have lower self-esteem,” explains Hagan. “They can experience
bullying. They may worry about being able to make friends or be
more likely to be left out of the group. Also, having a disability can
be unpredictable. They may have symptoms that flare up without
warning, which can understandably be stressful. Finally, children
with special needs often have more difficulty understanding their
social environment, which makes it difficult to process what’s going
on around them.”
For families of children with disabilities, watching their child
struggle with these heightened worries can be heartbreaking. To help
them cope, Hagan offers the following 10 tips for children—and their
parents—to remain calm and cool.

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Kids with special needs may struggle with anxiety more
than their peers. These strategies can help them ease
their fears and thrive.