1 in 75 adult Americans is a sufferer of Panic Disorder at one point or another in their lives. There are no firm figures for the number of children who are sufferers, but it would be logical to assume as the condition is on the rise in adults it may also be on the rise in children. Achieving cure for children with this condition is as possible as for adults.
Children can have the same symptoms as adults; difficulty breathing, feeling as though they are drowning, or “can’t get enough air”, tingling or “pins and needles” in toes and fingers, tremors, perspiring, chest pain and near paralyzing terror are on the checklist of symptoms that have been identified in children and adults suffering from this condition.
Help is out there. A specialty centre at Boston University offers an intensive therapy course with visits at a later time for follow up in order to finish the treatment and make sure that the symptoms don’t return.
Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) teaches both parents and children how to identify the first inkling of Panic Disorder, and how to battle the issues together. They are both taught specific skills to reducing and overcoming the symptoms altogether.
Where specific phobias can be identified that are triggers for Panic Disorder, these phobias can be treated with a variety of intensive programs focusing on the specific phobia, understanding it and making it less frightening and thus less likely to trigger Panic Attacks.
It is so important that both the parent and child understand how things work in these therapies. It is a must to place the child in the stressful situation, in order to recreate what causes the Panic Attacks, while in a managed environment with professionals. Only be addressing it, can it be understood what happens and treat it effectively.
It is critical that you understand that the child’s Panic Attacks are not fictitious. Panic Disorder is no respecter or persons with children, so their symptoms are just as harsh. Admitting and accepting that treatment needs to start is the first step to obtaining a cure.
Help is available. Parents and children do not have to deal with these issues on their own. The internet is a good source of information for centers not just in Boston, but in other cities, where children can attend effective therapy and overcome their panic issues.
Anytime there are medical or psychological conditions to deal with, it is best to talk to your family doctor about the situation. Those who think they have a phobia without a cause should talk to their doctors before enrolling in any treatment programs. Please talk to your family doctor, and they can put you in the hands of a specialist in the area that you need.
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