16.Social Anxiety Disorder

16.1.What Is Social Anxiety Disorder?

Social anxiety disorder is described as:

Fear and anxiety in social situations

Extreme shyness

Being very timid

Concerns about being judged by others

This affects up to 5 percent of children. It is the third most commonpsychiatric disorder in children.

16.2.What Are Some Triggers?

Some things that trigger anxiety and are often hard for children withsocial anxiety are:

Speaking in front of the class

Talking with children they don’t know

Performing in front of others

Starting conversations

Taking tests

Interacting with strangers

Children with social anxiety are often lonely, have fewer friends thanother children their age, and report symptoms of depression.

Children who develop social anxiety before the age of 12 are not likely tooutgrow it. Left untreated, many grow up to be socially anxious adults. Theymay continue to have problems in interpersonal situations.

16.3.What Are the Symptoms?

Children with social anxiety disorder may:

Avoid eye contact

Speak softly

Tremble

Fidget

Be nervous

Have shortness of breath

Have headaches and stomach aches

Miss school because of their fears

Throw tantrums, cry, or refuse to speak (young children)

16.4.How Is Social Anxiety Different from Being Shy?

Shyness is very common. Some children with social anxiety may be so shythat they avoid everyday things like playing sports, reading in class, musicand athletic events, playing with other kids, speaking to adults, or orderingfood in restaurants.

They may have thoughts such as:

"I hope the teacher doesn't call on me."

"I'm going to make a mistake."

"They are staring at me."

"Nobody likes me."

“What if I do something stupid?”

They may feel:

Light-headed, dizzy, have a headache

Sick, have butterflies in the stomach

Sweaty or clammy

16.5.How Is Social Anxiety Disorder Treated?

Children with social fears and anxiety may benefit from severaltreatments.

One approach is using medicines to reduce children's anxious and depressedfeelings.

A second approach targets the child's anxiety and teaches ways to copewith overwhelming fear and anxiety.

Both approaches have been used with success in adults with social anxietyand have shown significant promise with young children.