What does Child Anxiety Look Like?What Parents Need to Know

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Anxiety in children is far more common than many people realise. As both a teacher and a therapist, I’ve seen first-hand how children who may appear “difficult” or “immature” are often struggling with overwhelming feelings of worry and fear. These children aren’t deliberately being “naughty” or “attention-seeking”—they’re anxious. And when we pause to recognise that, everything changes.

Recognising the Signs of Anxiety in Children

Anxiety doesn’t always look like “worry.” Often, it shows up in physical, emotional, and behavioural ways:

Physical Symptoms

• Frequent tummy aches or headaches (with no medical cause)

• Nausea, feeling sick, or needing the toilet often

• Sweating, shaky hands, or feeling “wobbly”

• Fast heartbeat or quick breathing

• Trouble falling asleep, nightmares, or restless sleep

• Muscle tension (clenched jaw, hunched shoulders)

  
  

Emotional Symptoms

• Excessive worry about everyday situations (“what if” questions)

• Fear of making mistakes or being judged

• Irritability, tearfulness, or emotional outbursts

• Strong need for reassurance from adults

  
  

Behavioural Symptoms

• Avoiding school, social events, or new situations

• Clinging to parents or caregivers

• Difficulty concentrating or sitting still

• Perfectionism (redoing tasks, frustration if not “just right”)

• Withdrawing from friends or activities they used to enjoy

  
  

If this resonates for your child, and you’d like to learn more, fill out an inquiry form here. 

A Common Mistake

One of the most common mistakes made about childhood anxiety is confusing it with misbehaviour or attention-seeking. I say this without judgement - as a parent, this is something I have done myself!

Instead of recognising that a child is genuinely overwhelmed, parents might see:

• Refusal to go to school as “being difficult.”

• Tears or clinginess as “immaturity.”

• Anger outbursts or meltdowns as “bad behavior.”

  
  

👉 In reality, these are often signs of anxiety. Children don’t always have the words to say, “I’m scared” or “I feel anxious.” Instead, it comes out through behaviours.

How can child anxiety be treated? An example…

After several weeks working with me, one of my young clients now rates his worries and anxieties as significantly reduced, and his mum has noticed how much more resilient he has become.

We began by identifying his anxiety triggers and how they showed up in his body—for example, sweaty palms often came just before racing negative thoughts. From there, we built a toolkit of strategies he could dip into whenever anxiety rose up.

Some of the most effective tools included: 

✨ Reality-checking negative thoughts 

✨ Asking, “Is this in or out of my control?” 

✨ Calming, mindful breathing and relaxation to slow racing thoughts

Over time, he learned not just to manage anxiety, but to feel more confident and in control.

What I’ve Learned as a Teacher and Therapist

As a teacher, I’ve worked with many children who could have been written off as “difficult” or “immature.” In truth, they were anxious and didn’t yet know how to express their emotions.

These children were often the most rewarding to work with. Once you build a relationship, validate their feelings, and help them recognise their emotions, they begin to thrive.

Children are so much more resilient than we give them credit for. With the right toolkit of coping strategies and a strong support network, they don’t just cope—they fly.

If you’d like to know more, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Book a free, no obligation discovery call with me.