Anxiety in kids and teens

Moments of high anxiety are a normal part of life, but kids can find managing anxiety a challenge. Many young children become overwhelmed by specific fears, such as a fear of barking dogs or visits to the dentist or starting a new school year. And kids of all ages can have difficulty recovering from traumatic events. On this page you’ll find ideas to help with those scenarios. As well, you’ll find help for kids and teens who seem constantly plagued by more generalized anxiety. 

Since anxiety and depression often go hand in hand, you may also want to consult our series page on depression too. In young children, death of a loved one or trauma can also trigger anxiety; young kids often mistakenly conclude that something they did caused the death or incident. You can find our series page on grief in children here.

Recognizing and managing anxiety in kids

Addressing negative thinking

Other resources:

Raising Worry-Free Girls, by Sissy Goff

Braver, Stronger, Smarter: A Girl's Guide to Overcoming Worry and Anxiety (ages 6-11) by Sissy Goff

Brave: A Teen Girl's Guide to Beating Worry and Anxiety by Sissy Goff

Raising Emotionally Strong Boys by David Thomas

Strong and Smart: A Boy's Guide to Building Healthy Emotions by David Thomas

You Are Not Alone: A Kid's Guide to Overcoming Anxious Thoughts and Believing What's True, by Jennie Allen

Making Sense of Anxiety in Children and Youth, by Gordon Neufeld (DVD) 

Hold On to Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More Than Peers, by Gordon Neufeld and Gabor Maté

AnxietyCanada.ca - Offers extensive resources within MAP for Children and Teens

Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre 

Helping teens manage anxiety

Other resources:

Is Your Teen Stressed or Depressed, by Dr. Arch Hart and Dr. Catherine Hart Weber

Why Am I Feeling Like This? A Teen's Guide to Freedom From Anxiety and Depression

Why Is My Teenager Feeling Like This? A Guide for Helping Teens Through Anxiety and Depression

AnxietyCanada.ca - Offers extensive resources within MAP for Children and Teens

Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre 

Trauma-related anxiety

Childhood fears

Back-to-school anxiety

Other resources:

Tori Comes Out of Her Shell for ages 3+

What Do I Do With Worry for ages 4+ (Good for dealing with general worry; the plot also deals specifically with moving to a new neighbourhood)