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Somatic Anxiety in Children
Some of the most common somatic symptoms of anxiety in children include restlessness, stomachaches, trouble sleeping, palpitations, and trembling/shaking. Somatic symptoms of anxiety usually occur in children with an anxiety disorder, but an anxiety disorder diagnosis is not necessary in order to experience somatic symptoms. There is a correlation between being diagnosed with an anxiety disorder and somatic symptom number and severity. Children with social anxiety are more likely than children with other anxiety disorders to complain from somatic symptoms like fatigue, limb pain, and feeling cold. Children with social anxiety are also more likely to have circulatory complaints.

Somatic symptoms in children have an effect on their social lives. More severe somatic symptoms cause higher levels of overall anxiety which result in children being more avoidant of social situations and cause problems in their family relationships. Somatic symptoms also affect children’s daily lives. Absences from school, poorer academic performance, calls to pediatricians, and visits to the ER are only some of the cases in which somatic symptoms are to blame. Psychological treatments are used to help with somatic symptoms. These treatments decrease school absences and the disability associated with somatic symptoms.

Somatic symptoms, when not taken care of or treated in children, lead to problems later on in life. Somatic symptoms, no matter which type, are associated with depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation. The symptoms also contribute to the severity of suicidal ideation. Children and adolescents with higher levels of somatic symptoms are at an increased risk for developing major depression and panic attacks later in life.