A national panel of preventive health experts is now recommending children as young as 8 years old get screened for anxiety.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force issued the recommendations earlier this month. For the first time, the team says children between the ages of 8 and 18 should be screened for anxiety but said there was insufficient evidence to say that children 7 and under should be screened.
According to the panel, screenings should happen for children and teens that seen in primary care settings and have no symptoms. Children with symptoms of anxiety, regardless of age, should be connected with care.
Psychologist Dr. Maria Espinola said untreated anxiety can lead to suicidal behavior and substance abuse as children age.
“When a child is suffering from anxiety, they might have difficulties connecting with other children, playing, making friends or concentrating," she said. "They may have difficulties concentrating on school or what their parents are saying at home. Doing chores or finishing the stuff they have to do every day may be difficult because anxiety can significantly impact someone’s functioning.”
A national survey in 2018-19 found that 7.8 percent of children ages 3 to 17 had a current anxiety disorder.
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