Q. My 10-year-old daughter is showing signs of anxiety. Can this become a full-blown anxiety disorder?
Answer By: Rachel G. Klein, Ph.D.
New York University Child Study Center
If the anxiety is within what is generally expected when a child is under stress, there is no reason to expect that an anxiety disorder will develop. So-called ‘normal reactions’ upset the child, but important areas of function are not seriously affected, or if there is significant functional disturbance, it does not affect every important area of the child’s adjustment. Even when children have excessive reactions to stress, the majority will not have anxiety disorders later on.
