Many people deal with feelings of anxiousness at some point or another—and that includes children. But worry and stress in children can sometimes be tricky to identify, since they don’t always know how to express what they are thinking or feeling.
In this article, we provide some tips for helping children dealing with occasional anxiousness as well as some herbal solutions formulated by a pediatric naturopathic doctor that may be of benefit.*
Anxiousness and Worry in Children
Occasional nervousness and typical childhood fears are normal for every little one. They may experience worry from separation; feel nervous in certain social situations; or fear thunderstorms, monsters, darkness, and the list goes on.
Children are resilient and oftentimes seem carefree. But they are affected by everything going on around them, and uncertainty, change, and stress can result in worry and occasional anxious feelings.
Changes in their living situation, schoolwork or exams, travel, a doctor’s appointment, and more are just a few possible causes of occasional anxious feelings in a child.
Little ones probably aren’t capable of identifying or explaining what they’re feeling. Even older children or teens may not connect the dots to be able to express their problems to you.
Tips and Herbs To Help Children Cope With Stress & Worry*
Talk to Their Pediatrician
First things first: Talk to your child’s pediatrician.
Since worry and anxious feelings can manifest in so many ways, it’s important to get a doctor’s opinion so that other possible health conditions can be ruled out. Sometimes what looks like occasional anxiousness might be something else entirely, or vice versa.
Create a Calm Morning Atmosphere
Mornings set the mood for the whole day, and if a morning starts out stressful, then those feelings can resonate throughout the afternoon and evening. The key to a calm morning is a structured routine, one that children can anticipate and prepare for ahead of time.
As young observers, children learn from watching your behavior and actions. Help them learn how to create a calm morning environment by providing an example of what a positive, well-organized routine looks like.
This way, your mornings will also remain calm and structured while you are helping your children learn valuable skills for their future.1
This can be easy and fun. Have your kids choose and lay out their outfits in advance to prevent scrambling in the morning. Or, decide together in the evening what to eat for breakfast the next day to avoid additional morning stress.
Make a Plan
Sometimes all that a child needs is a little bit of a heads-up about what’s coming. Remember: Your child has not been in this world as long as you have!
They haven’t experienced as many things and may not be adept at coping with new or surprising situations. Before they head into a new situation, take time to talk with your child about what it will be like or what they can expect.
If possible, you can even give your child a preview of a new place by taking them there ahead of time. Or, consider giving your child the chance to meet someone new in a comfortable environment before they have to interact with them elsewhere.
Create a Routine
Children thrive on routine. Sometimes what upsets them is simply an unpredictable schedule or a change in their routine or living situation.
Help to combat worry and anxiousness in your child by stabilizing their living situation. As much as possible, provide them with a predictable daily routine and a calm home environment.
Provide Your Child Extra Support With Herbal Supplements*
It’s essential to address the underlying causes of anxiousness in children and to recognize that herbs are not a substitute for medication or therapy.
As mentioned above, we recommend consulting first with a pediatrician or a pediatric therapist, as nothing can replace the right healthcare or counseling.
However, herbal supplements can provide support for little ones that are dealing with occasional anxious feelings.*
Here are three of our favorite herbal supplements designed specifically for children dealing with intermittent anxiousness.*
Calm Support
Developed by a Pediatric Naturopath, GaiaKids® Calm Support features a blend of herbs traditionally used to support a calm and relaxed feeling.* This formula is perfect for jitters before a big day at school or a party with new people.*
This great-tasting herbal supplement is made with a blend of California Poppy, Lavender, Passionflower, and Vervain plus Lemon Balm. It also contains Skullcap, extracted fresh immediately after harvest to preserve its full spectrum compounds for optimal potency.*
Rest assured that GaiaKids Calm Support contains all of these wonderful herbs and absolutely no artificial sweeteners, corn syrup, colors, dairy, gluten, soy, or flavors. We want you to feel confident about what your child is taking.
Based on the serving recommendations listed on the bottle, simply dilute the appropriate number of drops in water or your child’s favorite juice and let them enjoy.
The Lemon Balm and Skullcap used in this product are grown right on our very own Certified Organic Gaia Farm, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. We nurture and observe each plant that we grow, allowing it to flourish in the sun until the right moment to harvest.
And because we believe that you deserve to know exactly what’s in your family’s herbal supplements, we created meetyourherbs.com, the world’s first herb traceability platform.
Here you will discover the origin of your herbs, learn how they were grown and harvested, and see validation of your product’s level of purity and potency. Simply insert your product’s Herb ID number (located on the back of every Gaia Herbs product) to learn more about your specific supplement.
You can be assured that our products are safely produced without the use of pesticides and other toxins that can damage our bodies and the earth.
Focus
Sometimes your child’s anxiousness may make it more challenging for them to concentrate. Herbal supplements may be able to help.* For kids who need a little extra support, we created GaiaKids® Focus, which helps maintain cognitive function so your little one can shine at school.*
GaiaKids Focus is a liquid extract featuring Gotu Kola, a nervine traditionally used for mental focus, along with a blend of relaxing herbs including Chamomile, Oats, Passionflower, Irish Moss, and Lemon Balm.*
This supplement is made to be diluted in water or juice and taken up to three times daily.
Tummy Tonic
Anxiousness, worry, and stress can sometimes lead to an upset stomach in kids. When that happens, turn to GaiaKids Tummy Tonic for great-tasting support for occasional upset tummies.*
Expertly formulated by a Pediatric Naturopath, this supplement features traditionally soothing herbs that support comfortable digestion, such as Chamomile, Catnip, Fennel, Ginger, Spearmint, and Lemon Balm.*
Just like the other two herbal supplements we mentioned, all you have to do is dilute the appropriate dose in water and serve it to your child up to three times daily.
Natural Solutions to Help Manage Occasional Anxiousness*
Providing natural solutions and gentle support is a great way to help children struggling with worry, stress, and occasional anxiousness.*
In addition to talking to a pediatrician or mental health professional, you can help your child cope by acknowledging their feelings, explaining what to expect, making a plan to gradually introduce them to stressors, and creating a healthy and consistent routine.
And don’t forget that you can also turn to herbal supplements to naturally support your child’s mind and body, too, as they can be especially helpful for children dealing with occasional and intermittent feelings of anxiousness.*
Gaia Herbs GaiaKids Calm Support can help to calm those butterflies and jitters, while GaiaKids Focus and GaiaKids Tummy Tonic can aid in managing the ancillary symptoms of intermittent anxiousness in children.*
REFERENCES:
1. Tips for Getting Your Family Ready in the Morning, Verywell Family, https://www.verywellfamily.com/morning-madness-tips-for-getting-kids-up-and-ready-616604