Supplements to Help with Anxiety in Kids?

I just want to pass along this article. I am a counselor and have used this many times to help kids take ownership of their anxiety and understand it. It just explains it really well on a kid level.

http://www.heysigmund.com/anxiety-in-kids/

Good luck :)

***ETA: Be wary of Diane B's advice. Her "science" is unproven, the field of transitional epigenetics is nothing more than a group of studies (some more valid than others) which only suggest the link between nutrition and inherited disease. While there is no doubt that healthy food makes healthy humans don't fall for people selling their so called supplements on the internet!!!***

I don't know about supplements but what really helped me with my daughter's anxiety was a book, I think it was called "Anxiety in Young Children" or something like that. It had REALLY helpful information and tips on how to manage and prevent anxiety from escalating and how to best cope with it as a parent and caregiver.
Though at one point, after a particularly stressful event sent her into a spiral of fear that I couldn't help her with, she went into therapy. If your daughter gets to that point please get her some help, it's too much for a parent and child to handle on their own.

Supplements are unregulated and not proven to be effective. I would not be giving them to my child to treat any condition.

http://acsh.org/2014/06/problems-unregulated-dietary-supp...

http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/fda-needs-stronger-rul...

If my child was struggling with anxiety, I would be speaking with our pediatrician about safe, effective ways to help her/him.

Your child is only 5, and it might be a little early to think of this as clinical anxiety. I would be very wary of giving a child that young supplements and additional vitamins other than a child's multi-vitamin. Eating well is the best way to get proper nutrition.

Supplements are unregulated, so they can contain anything, and vitamins and supplements can be toxic in large doses, especially with a child so young.

I think the chamomile tea idea is a good one -- I'm glad she reminded me, because I had good sleep results the last time I tried it. Make sure your child gets out in the sun and gets plenty of exercise. Sing and read to your child, and cuddle him/her a lot. If s/he is anxious about school and some social situations, that is normal.

Kids go through a lot of changes at this age.
Every kid feels a bit anxious about starting school, making friends and meeting teachers - it's totally normal.
Unless a doctor has diagnosed a behavioral condition, I wouldn't jump to any conclusions about it and I wouldn't try treating it with any specific supplementation.
If she's not eating a well balanced diet, Flintstones chewable s works fine.

My daughter's pediatrician recommended L-theanine. We use Suntheanine's chewable tablets. You can get it at vitamin store & or order it online at Amazon or Swansons.

Before I went the route of supplements or vitamins for someone so young, I would try lesser intense things such as Chamomile tea (for me and my son who is 13 but who has been drinking this since he was about 7) it really does help induce a sense of well-being. When I drink it before bed, I always sleep better. Also, I read a good article on mercola.com about aromatherapy oils (check it out)
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/0...

Additionally, if you can't already done it, you could work on the child's diet and eliminate for what is some anxiety causing foods.. such as sugar, wheat, caffeine, processed foods, which have many additives , also have the child drink more water. Even as an adult, when I am stressed, if I am dehydrated (already) and then stressed, this only makes my anxiety worse..

good luck

This is a question for the medical professionals. I would never try to treat a medical condition with vitamins and other unregulated supplements without first consulting the pediatrician. If it's clinical anxiety -- and it very well may be at that age -- no vitamin is going to miraculously cure it.

Our 12-year-old son has had bouts with anxiety for years, in addition to a host of brain disorders, and really it's been therapy and medication that have improved it most. He was so anxious at one point this year that he wouldn't even talk to his teachers when they asked him a question. Forget about speaking to anyone else in class, either. We boosted his anti-anxiety med and within two weeks he was volunteering to speak in front of the class.

Don't try to address this on your own if you really think it's anxiety. The pediatrician is a great starting point for tips on helping your child.

There are no things that help anxiety other than cutting down on caffeine and some other additives in food.

If they are truly having issues then they need counseling to find the root of the anxiety. Once they find that and work through it they won't have anxiety any more. Period. Anxiety is caused by something external.

If they have other things going on that are biological they need medications to control the levels of chemicals in their body.

Like diabetes. One with blood sugar issues can manage that by eating less foods with abundant sugar, even without ever eating or drinking any products called sugar free anything.

BUT once that person gets to a point or if they have a different type of diabetes diagnosis they have to take medication to control their body better. Even if they eat completely healthy and take dozens of supplements they are still diabetic and require medication to fix it.

My point is if the anxiety is a mental health issue then counseling is the only thing that will cure it, that will probably take a year or so to get to the root and work through it and be fixed, no more anxiety.

If this is biological and they have a chemical imbalance then medication prescribed by a physician will be the only course they can follow.

Trying to be a pharmacist and doctor won't help your kids. They need to either find out why and fix it or get a medication that prohibits the flight or fight system from kicking in for no reason.

Start with simple things such as the chamomile tea that was mentioned, a kids yoga class, or kids meditation class, to teach your child how to calm himself or herself. Or look for videos.

Exposure to the fear, in baby steps, and keep practicing until it becomes boring rather than fearful.

You could write the fear on tissue or toilet paper and flush it down.

Therapy is very successful for children. Probably because their minds are still open to new ideas.

Hi Sandy,

Everyone needs help with nutrition. A lack of nutrition absorbing properly can cause all sorts of deficiencies, even mental health ones. An absorbable multi is a given. Ditto Diane B...Flintstones and drug store multivitamins are as healthy as the plastic bottle they're stored in.

The brain needs fat to survive and function properly. Omega-3s are a good start. Not only will they help with anxiety but with focus too. Removal of synthetic chemicals will help as well. Detox your home. It will do more than you can imagine.

Regards,
M.

I was thinking of trying one for my son. I read good things about Food Science of Vermont's Behavior Balance. Let me know if you try one and you see results!

This is not meant to be "snarky" but if you suffer from severe anxiety and panic attacks, and your young child has seen these, isn't it possibly that your anxiety is causing hers? I am not blaming you - anxiety and panic attacks are disorders that no one can help. My point is that why would you think that a "supplement" would be helpful?

I'm sure everyone in your home would benefit from counseling - living with a person with any kind of issues is difficult - just as difficult as the person who is going through it themselves. However, young children can really pick up any amount of stress and they simply do not have the skills to process it like your older daughter or husband have.

I would start with your own therapist for a recommendation as to who your child can work with to at least give him/her some coping skills.

Good luck!

I use essential oils for help to calm and reduce anxiety. I don't give supplements to my son with the exception of a kids multivitamin. Massages, yoga, and just plain excersize and water helps children.