How to Help a Child with Social Anxiety

How To Help a Child With Social Anxiety

By Susan J. Wood (Updated Month, Day, Year)

Social anxiety is a common experience among people of all ages. After COVID-19’s stay-at-home orders, your child might be experiencing heightened social anxiety with the return to the classroom. If you’re wondering how to help a child with social anxiety, look no further. This blog will identify and discuss what it is, how it manifests, what causes it to develop, and how to aid a child in dealing with it.

What Is Social Anxiety?

Before addressing how to help a child with social anxiety, it is important to have a clear understanding of what it is. Social anxiety is the intense fear of being judged and perceived by others. Individuals who suffer from it have a tough time in any social situation and other communal settings.

How Social Anxiety Manifests

Now that you have a basic understanding of social anxiety, it is essential to understand how it manifests. Some of the most common symptoms include the following:

• Nausea
• Trembling or shaking
• Rapid heartbeat
• Sweating
• Dizziness
• Extensive worrying and overthinking
• Extreme embarrassment
• Full-blown panic attacks

Not every person experiences social anxiety the same way, nor to the same extent. With that in mind, we advise that you talk with your child to understand what they are experiencing. In doing so, you can better navigate the child’s anxiety and find ways to calm them when they struggle.

Why Social Anxiety Develops

For some, social anxiety naturally occurs through genetics. For others, specific environmental factors are linked to its development. Here are the most common factors that influence social anxiety in a young child:

• Bullying
  • Learn what to do if someone is bullying your child
• Abuse
• Unhealthy parenting styles
• Previous situations that were traumatic or stressful

In addition to these environmental factors, the last few years have presented another stressor for children worldwide. This was COVID-19, which put the world on a lengthy shutdown. Many were forced to complete their schoolwork at home, away from all of their peers and teachers. As such, children were not exposed to social experiences for over a year, which can also be a noteworthy reason why social anxiety is now presenting itself.

It is important that your anxious child gets the help they need and deserves to overcome social anxiety, or at the very least, find ways to manage their feelings, no matter the extent.

How To Help a Child With Social Anxiety

If you are looking for coping skills to help a child struggling with social anxiety, consider the following tips:

Teach Them About Social Anxiety

Talk with your child about social anxiety and how to pinpoint it in their day-to-day lives. Once they understand how to identify it, they can begin to redirect their emotions and eventually learn to handle any negative thoughts that occur with it.

Consider Therapy for Your Child

Secondly, an excellent option for helping a young child with social anxiety is to get them involved in therapy. Therapists not only have a comprehensive understanding of it and how it occurs, but they can also provide your child with the tools necessary to overcome their emotional distress during any social interaction.

At All For Kids, we provide mental health services to children ages 0-21. With several different tools and resources, finding support for your child has never been more accessible. Remember, there is nothing wrong with giving them the extra support they need as they continue to grow and develop. The additional help of a professional will allow them to understand themselves and their feelings better as they move into adolescence and adulthood.

Reward Their Progress

Another great option for helping a child cope with social anxiety is to reward them when they work towards redirecting their emotions and handling anxious feelings. For some, that may look like attending a social situation or being a bit more social, even though it pushes them outside their comfort zones. Rewarding progress rather than perfection can make a significant difference for your child, and at the very least, it lets them know that they have your unconditional support.

Hindering Social Anxiety

Social anxiety may not completely dissipate. However, with the right coping skills and support, your child can learn how to control their social anxiety over time. No matter the situation, the support you give your child will significantly improve their ability to work through any anxiety. Reading through this blog is the first step in helping your child with social anxiety.