New Year Changes Your Anxious Child May Struggle With How To Help

For parents with children who have anxiety, you have likely heard of Brillia medication — a natural over-the-counter treatment option for mild-to-moderate conditions. You also probably know how stressful change can be for your little one. The new year is an exciting time of renewal and change for most people, but for those with anxiety, it is challenging. The question becomes: How do you make the annual transition more comfortable for your children, especially those with anxiety?

Drastic Changes in Routine or Schedule

A natural anxiety medication for children can help your little one, but it will probably only take the edge off some symptoms. If you and your family take New Year’s resolutions seriously, they can mean drastic changes to your family’s schedule or your child’s routine.

People with anxiety do well with structure and predictability. Any changes to their routine, especially significant changes, can introduce chaos and uncertainty. Their brains will struggle to restore balance, and they will enter a state of fight or flight.

While nervousness around change is natural, anxiety is different. Normal nervousness is fleeting; anxiety is a repetitive and sometimes unrelenting barrage of panic. It can induce rapid and labored breathing, make muscles tense, and introduce feelings of dread, even in little ones.
The intensity of the physical and emotional experience is why it is best to limit the severity of change in the new year. Try helping your little one maintain a typical routine and keep up with expected schedules.

Keep Some of the Old But Celebrate & Welcome the New

That said, the new year is bound to bring change: some good, some bad. You do your child a disservice by sticking to strict routines and schedules without interference. Change is inevitable, and even the most well-planned routines will need to accept some element of surprise. The new year should bring positive change and growth; that goes for the entire family, including your anxious little one.

When introducing change, you want to take a measured approach. Don’t bombard your child with many challenges to their routine all at once. Welcome unknown elements to the schedule by maintaining most of the old ways. For example, if a New Year’s goal is to improve family health through physical activity, try to fit the activity into scheduled playtime.

While change is challenging for those with anxiety, it is not impossible. Taking a measured approach is the best way to ensure your little one can handle everything. In some instances, with the correct approach, your child may come to embrace change as a good thing; however, embrace the tiny victories without expectation.

Anxiety conditions make it challenging for some people to embrace the changes the new year can bring. Without warning or preparation, drastic or sudden changes to routines and schedules can set off your little one’s anxiety. A pediatrician can help you find a solution for your child, but you can also try over-the-counter anxiety medication for mild anxiety symptoms. You may also want to consult a child psychologist.