Child & Teen Anxiety

How to help a child with sleep anxiety

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 10:22:17 +0100

Sleep anxiety in children is a common issue that many face at some stage, defined as stress or fear of going to sleep. It can occur at any age, whether it is a toddler who becomes more clingy around bedtime to avoid being put to bed or a teenager who finds it hard to get to sleep because of racing thoughts. Despite being common, it’s importan...

How can CBT help children and teenagers?

Fri, 29 Aug 2025 09:08:07 +0100

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a highly effective form of talking therapy that has gained great popularity in managing mental health issues in children and teenagers. It empowers children and teenagers to identify and challenge negative thoughts and behaviours and replace them with positive, healthy ones. CBT is commonly used to manage cond...

What causes anxiety in children and how can you help?

Fri, 14 Mar 2025 09:30:37 +0000

One of the key causes of anxiety in children is stress, which can stem from various things, including school pressure, exams, or changes in family circumstances. Children may also experience anxiety due to a lack of routine or underlying medical conditions such as ADHD or OCD. In this resource, we look at the causes of anxiety in children, the sign...

Understanding separation anxiety in children: causes, signs, and when to seek support

Fri, 17 Feb 2023 15:01:40 +0000

It's normal for a child to feel distressed or upset when separated from their parents or caregivers, so to an extent, separation anxiety is a normal part of development. However, in some cases, it can become a problem that requires professional help. This article looks at the causes of separation anxiety, the signs to look out for and when to seek ...

Self-harm advice for parents worried about their child

Tue, 31 Jan 2023 13:14:26 +0000

Suspecting your child or teenager of intentionally harming themselves can be incredibly distressing for any parent, especially as it isn't always obvious how best to help them. While we understand the difficulties this can bring, please remember that support is available. Self-harm, which includes self-poisoning and self-injury, is intentionally be...

What to expect when taking your child to therapy

Thu, 26 Jan 2023 16:18:34 +0000

Starting therapy for your child can be daunting, but it's important to remember that it's a positive step towards helping them cope with their emotions and behaviours. Here are a few things to expect when your child begins talking therapy. First and foremost, therapy is a team effort. The therapist will work with your child, but you and potentially...

Emotionally based school avoidance - what to do when your child refuses to go to school

Thu, 24 Feb 2022 14:55:22 +0000

When children completely refuse to go to school this can be extremely distressing for all parties. It is often accompanied by melt-downs, physical complaints such as stomach aches, headaches, vomiting, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, pleading or begging to stay at home and even young people threatening to harm themselves if they are made to go to schoo...

Worried how the kids will cope this Christmas?

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 14:12:03 +0000

We hear a lot about how Christmas can be difficult for adults with mental health issues – often exacerbating depression and feelings of loneliness - but what about children with a mental health condition? If your child struggles with anxiety or OCD then downtime can be difficult for them to manage. Children who are troubled with obsessive thi...

Does your child have anxiety? Here are our top tips for parents

Tue, 02 Feb 2021 09:18:36 +0000

Anxiety is one of the most common mental health conditions experienced by children and young people and can be devastating for the whole family. While it’s normal for everyone to worry at times, anxiety disorders are much more serious and can significantly affect your child’s life. In 2020, research from the NHS discovered that the prop...

How do childhood anxiety disorders show themselves?

Thu, 01 Mar 2018 11:06:59 +0000

In this series of blogs, Dr Sabina Dosani explores anxiety in children and adolescents. Here we look at the signs parents may want to look out for in their children. There are several anxiety conditions that children and teenagers can experience and often the symptoms are very different to the symptoms that adults might experience. It’s also ...

Anxiety in children – when should you seek help?

Wed, 21 Feb 2018 09:22:26 +0000

In this blog, child and adolescent psychiatrist, Dr Sabina Dosani, explores when it is the right time to seek professional help for your child. Some anxiety in children is normal All children and adults feel stressed from time to time. Experiencing some anxiety in childhood and beyond is normal. As parents know, most toddlers fear monster...

How can I help my child with stress and when should I seek professional help?

Thu, 15 Feb 2018 08:59:07 +0000

Here, Dr Sabina Dosani – Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist and Clinical Partner, discusses the signs that your child is stressed and gives some very practical tips on how you can help. Is my child stressed? Stress is sneaky. It creeps up on our children and can cause chaos. Stressed people are often the last to recognise what is happening. Ou...

How to be a better listener

Fri, 09 Feb 2018 08:48:01 +0000

Active listening is about “listening for meaning”. As a trainee therapist the first skill you must master is active listening. In my experience, it is all about shutting out everything that is going on in my head and just concentrating on what my patient is telling me, it is about being in the “here and now”. Active listenin...

Anxiety disorder assessments: what to expect from your child’s appointment

Tue, 06 Feb 2018 17:23:56 +0000

With over 13 % of 16 year olds having an anxiety disorder and prevalence rates on the increase, in this blog Dr Sabina Dosani – Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist explains what to expect for your child or teenager if you come for an assessment with a Psychiatrist. She also discusses some practical tips for helping your child and how the...