What to consider when diagnosing and managing anxiety in kids

Anxiety is common during childhood and becomes a problem when it impairs a child’s life. A lecture presented at the 2020 Virtual Conference on Pediatric Health Care, Dawn Garzon Maaks, PhD, CPNP-PC, PMHS, FAANP, FAAN, the immediate past president of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners and the associate professor at the University of Portland in the School of Nursing in Oregon, covered the treatment options for anxiety in pediatrics.

Treatment option that have been proven effective include mindfulness therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and behavioral modification. These therapies can help children be aware of early warning symptoms. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have been shown to be effective. The presentation also discussed serotonin syndrome, which can occur when a child takes an SSRI and St. John’s wort at the same time.

For more on the presentation, check out our sister publication Contemporary Clinic.