According to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America, anxiety affects 1 in 8 children. Often used interchangeable with the term stress, anxiety is persistent and oftentimes the child is not even aware of the cause. Stress, on the other hand, can be caused by situations or thoughts that make a child worry, scared, nervous, angry, and even anxious.
In adopted children, stress is fairly common due to circumstances outside the child’s control. Anxiety, however, is not limited to situations and can be very debilitating to a child’s life. A 2008 study entitled "The Mental Health of US Adolescents Adopted in Infancy" taking place at the University of Minnesota has indicated that adopted children may be more anxious than their non-adopted peers but any number of factors could contribute to this, including increased parent awareness.
If adoptive parents suspect their child suffers from anxiety, they need to understand what anxiety is, the signs of the disorder, what may cause their child to feel anxious and ways to deal with the anxiety.
What is Anxiety?
Classified as a mental illness, there three components to anxiety: behavioural (crying, acting out), physiological (sweating, stomach aches) and cognitive (what would happen if …?). It is possible for a child to have anxiety along with other disorders such as depression and ADD.
When adopted kids are anxious, their behaviour can sometimes be confused with developmentally appropriate shyness or fear. Typical childhood worries over friendships, school work and family issues are usually transitory but persistent anxiety that is impacting the child’s life needs the help of a professional to be overcome.
Signs of Anxiety in Adopted Children
In the general population, normal anxiety is characterized by increased heart rate, tense muscles and a focus on what is causing the stress. However, for children experiencing symptoms of anxiety without any apparent stressor, there may be a disorder at the root of the child’s experience. In addition to the typical symptoms of anxiety, some anxious adopted children may:
- Be overly emotional
- Engage in regressive behaviour such as thumb-sucking or bed-wetting
- Act out inappropriately
- Be extremely tired
- Overeat or have a loss of appetite
- Behave out of character
- Have poor concentration
- Be excessively clingy with friends or family members
None of these signs in isolation indicate that a child has anxiety issues, but if there are several persistent factors that are causing concern for the child, it is worth having the adoptee assessed by a qualified mental health professional.
Common Anxiety Triggers for Adopted Kids
Although the triggers for anxiety may be vague or unknown, for adopted kids there may be certain situations that can bring up both stress and anxiety including:
- Starting school
- Birthdays
- Visits with birth family
- New sibling
- Death of a pet or family member
- Losing items of importance
- Feeling out of control
- Overnight visits elsewhere
- Separation of family members
- Post-traumatic stress
- General feelings of insecurity
For many adopted children, times of transition are particularly anxiety-producing, as they have had life experiences which have possibly affected them emotionally, psychologically and behaviourally.
Strategies for Making Adopted Kids Less Anxious
As stress and anxiety often go hand-in-hand, many of the strategies for helping a child deal with anxiety are also effective for managing stress. Here are some ideas for adoptive parents to try with their child:
- Participating in play therapy and counseling
- Keeping a feelings or worry journal
- Drawing pictures of worries
- Connecting with a mentor
- Practicing relaxation strategies
- Creating and maintaining consistent routines and bedtime
- Doing physical activities
As having an anxious child can create stress for others in the family, parents need to remain calm so their own stress does not compound the anxiety the child is already experiencing.
When adoptive parents understand the signs and triggers of anxiety as well as ways to help deal with it, they become effective advocates for their children in the search for appropriate help. With the proper treatment and support, adopted children are able to manage their worries and experience life more fully in their adoptive family.
Source:
Canadian Mental Health Association. Visions: B.C.’s Mental Health Journal: Anxiety Disorders in Children and Youth. No. 14, Spring 2002.
Angela Krueger - As an adoptive parent and PRIDE adoption trainer, Angela uses her insights to help others on their adoption journey.
