Anxiety is the most common mental health problem in young people — research shows it affects roughly 1 in 12 children and as many as 1 in 4 teenagers. That's a striking figure, and it matters because anxiety disorders in young people often go unrecognised for years.
One reason they're easy to miss is that anxious kids don't always say "I'm scared." Instead they might have stomach aches before school, melt down over small things, refuse activities their friends enjoy, or cling to parents well past the age when that's typical. The challenge for parents and teachers is knowing when to be concerned — because some worry is completely normal and healthy.
A 2022 review in American Family Physician clarified how doctors and psychologists think about this. The key is whether anxiety is significantly interfering with a child's everyday life — school, friendships, family. When it is, the gold-standard treatments are CBT (talking therapy that gradually teaches the brain anxiety isn't dangerous) and, when needed, a specific type of antidepressant called an SSRI. Starting treatment early makes a real difference to long-term outcomes.
If you're worried your child's anxiety is more than normal stress, a conversation with a psychologist who works with young people is a worthwhile first step.