Mood and anxiety disorders in children

Anxiety and fears form part of the normal development of every child. However, about 5% of children suffer from debilitating anxiety. It is advisable to seek help for anxiety if you find that it is clearly disadvantaging your child in everyday functions and if your support and the support of other adults is not enough to alleviate it.

We use psychoeducation to provide information on the typical symptoms of anxiety disorder, on ways to control anxiety, and on treatment options. We analyze your family’s situation at in-person appointments. We instruct you in how to support your child in tackling apprehensive or frightening things by degrees. We use practical treatment models based on identification and regulation of emotions that are useful for addressing anxiety and fears. 

In childhood, the incidence of depression is equal among girls and boys. In adolescence, it becomes more common among girls. Symptoms of depression include repeated or prolonged feelings of sadness, joylessness, melancholy or irritation to the point where they interfere with functional capacity and are not much alleviated even by positive experiences. Symptoms of depression vary depending on the age of the child.

We support family interaction in the treatment of depression in your child. The younger the child, the more important it is that you participate in the treatment. We evaluate types of treatment by age and on a case-by-case basis.