What Do Young Children Worry About?
Children at this age are developing cognitively, socially, and emotionally. They are beginning to better understand themselves, their relationships to others, and the cause and effect they have on the world around them. The more they are exposed to, the more they might worry or fear, at least until they gather the experience necessary to understand what is and is not worth worrying about. Some normal fears for children of this age carry over from the toddler years: like water/swimming, loud noises, the dark, and fears about body functions. Some other things that might cause anxiety are:
- Fear of scary things they might learn about from TV, books, or peers (e.g., monsters, vampires, or ghosts)
- Worries there might be something lurking in the closet
- Fear of storms or extreme weather
- Fear of being separated from parents
- Worries about being yelled at/disciplined by parents or teachers
- Fear of disappointing others
- Fear of tests or failing at schoolwork
- Fears of dogs or other animals
- Worries about the doctor, the dentist, or shots
Learn about when you should consider seeking anxiety treatment for your young child.
What Developmental Changes Do 5-8 Year Olds Experience?
Sometimes called early childhood, this period of time is marked with many intellectual changes, although physical growth and development may be starting to slow down. Children of this age are striving for more independence. They will be working on developing confidence and ability in school, with peers, and at play. Making friends and socializing with peers becomes much more important. They are more in command of their emotions and really want to prove their talents and skills.
Motor Skills
- Throwing and catching a small ball
- Running, climbing, jumping
- Skipping, galloping, dancing in time to music
- Better balance
- Using bats and balls
- Drawing recognizable people, houses, vehicles
- Learning to ride a two wheel bike
Speech And Language Skills
- Vocabulary continues to grow
- Asking many questions
- Developing a stronger command of grammar
- Starting to copy letters and learn families of words (i.e., sat, cat, fat, bat)
Cognitive Skills
- Can classify objects
- Learning reading and writing skills, addition and subtraction
- Willing to take on responsibility or chores
- Understands money
- Can tell time
- Knows months and days of the week
Play And Emotional Skills
- Has a sense of right and wrong
- Willing to cooperate, share, and take turns
- Content to pursue a skill or game independently, but still plays with other children
- Engages in imaginative/fantasy play
- Pretend play starts to develop into dramatic play
- Might enjoy competitive play & games
- Beginning to form a sense of humor and appreciation of jokes
- Can tell the difference between fantasy and reality
- Might have a best friend or an enemy; these tend to change frequently
- Will start to lose their baby teeth
Pediatric Anxiety Treatment At Austin Anxiety And OCD Specialists
If your young child is experiencing anxiety call Austin Anxiety and OCD Specialists at (512) 246-7225 or email us at hel[email protected] to schedule an appointment with one of our pediatric anxiety therapists.