Anxiety can get the best of just about anyone. From those with generalized anxiety disorder, to a more specified diagnosis, to individuals who don’t have anxiety, panic attacks can happen to anyone. They can be sudden and unpredictable.

As a parent of a child with anxious tendencies, there are a lot of things that you can do to help them through their anxiety moments and panic attacks.

For individuals with special needs, they can sometimes be diagnosed with a comorbid, or dual- diagnosis of anxiety. Anxiety can become an ever-present and sometimes debilitating thing. However, for individuals with anxiety, there are simple ways of treating some of the symptoms.

Helping with panic attacks

Panic attacks are no joke. They can be difficult times for the individual who is having them. Panic attacks feel like you’re dying. Your heart is racing too fast, you’re inconsolable, the world feels like it’s shrinking….

Many individuals report sweating, shaking, shortness of breath, rapid heart rate, chest pain, headache, numbing, and tingling, some individuals may also faint. The physical manifestation of a panic attack can be quite overwhelming and powerful for the person experiencing them.

When your kiddo is having a panic attack, it might look like this:

• Shaking or trembling
• Sweating
• Rapid heartbeat
• Disengagement
• Fainting
• Inconsolable emotional response
• Intense fear

In just about every case, panic attacks differ from person to person. However, one thing is consistent: a momentary, sudden, intense impact of emotion.

To help a child having a panic attack, have them list the following:

• Three things they see
• Three things they feel
• Three things they hear
• Who they are
• What they are doing
• One good thing about themselves

The above exercise helps people with anxiety or panic attacks ground themselves. It brings in a sudden rush of reality and can assist in bringing them out of their heads. It can help them focus on breathing, reality, and the sense of safety that they need to help cope with anxiety and panic attacks.

Keeping the anxiety at bay

Keep a calendar or journal of your kiddo’s anxiety. This can help you identify environmental triggers over a period of time. For example, if you notice that your kiddo’s anxiety has been manifesting at the beginning of the school year, it’s likely that their anxiety is being triggered by something in the transition between summer and the academic year. Figuring out what triggers their anxiety is the first step to helping them avoid panic attacks.

In addition, be mindful of potential triggers in their day to day that may be inducing anxiety. Making note of those and helping your child identify self-soothing skills if they are to encounter those triggers can be a lifesaver.

Try weighted items

It might be good to administer extra proprioceptive feedback to help calm a kiddo with anxiety. It helps them remember the bounds of their environment, which can be beneficial in regard to their overall interaction with their environment. There’s a lot of neurological reasons behind why that is, but just keep in mind that weight is a tried and true solutions for individuals with anxiety.

You can try weighted blankets, weighted lap pads, or even little weighted critters that rest on their shoulders and help calm their anxieties with proprioceptive feedback.

Seek counseling

Sometimes it feels like, no matter what you do, your kiddo might not be able to find peace of mind with anxiety and panic attacks. That’s where counseling can help. Seeking counseling, ABA therapy, and the likes can help catapult your child into a healthier state of mind.

Ask your child’s pediatrician for a referral to a counselor or therapist, or you can find a local counselor that works with your insurance on Psychology Today.