Be part of a screen for anxiety].”
When appropriate, Narasimhan recommends cognitive behavioral therapy, in which a therapist teaches the child strategies to combat fears and address certain feelings and behaviors. “This may include deep-breathing exercises, pro- gressive muscle relaxation and alternative coping thoughts,” she says. A meta-analysis of clinical trials first published in School Psychology Review concludes that such therapy can play a key role in alleviating childhood anxiety.
Unschedule
Speed breeds stress. “Don’t be in such a rush,” advises Geary. “Whatever you can take out of the day, take out.” Work out a looser schedule, whether that means limit- ing kids to one musical instrument or sport or instituting a weekly day of rest, when playtime replaces all homework and chores. Says Geary, “I see a lot of kids coming in with stomach pains or school issues, or they’re hitting others. Nine times out of 10, I feel like saying to the parents, ‘Just take your kids to the playground, sit in the park with them and get really dirty digging in the mud.’ If they did that for a month, they’d be fine.”
Pay attention to food
“If blood sugar drops, it’s a very anxiety- and irritability- producing sensation,” observes Geary. “Try to feed children snacks that provide slow-release nutrition, meaning they’re not getting a jolt of hard-to-digest fat, protein or sugar.” Her fa- vored choices include low-fat cheese and hummus, or whole- grain bread, spread with nut butter, an easy-to-digest protein.
Relax
Children often reflect their parents’ moods, so create calm. “Massage, maybe with calendula oil or something that smells nice for the child, is wonderful,” says Geary. The key is the interaction of the touch and the stillness. Just before bed- time, enjoy a cup of herbal tea together. “It’s more the ritual of sharing a warm drink at the end of the day than actually what you’re drinking,” she says. “They will absorb the fact that you’re spending time with them.”
Elisa Bosley is a senior editor at Delicious Living magazine. Join us Sundays:
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natural awakenings November 2011
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