Generalized Anxiety Disorder in Children

Key things to know What the evidence shows
How common is it? Not established for GAD specifically
Is it more common among children? Low in childhood; rises with age
Are children at higher risk? Age-related
How much higher is the risk? NE
How often can it be missed? High
Does it show up differently among children? Yes
How might it look different? Reassurance seeking, school/family worries, physical complaints
What commonly occurs alongside it? Separation anxiety; ADHD; depression
What can it be confused with? Separation anxiety; ADHD; autism; adjustment disorder
Common screening tool Age-appropriate anxiety scale
Separate screening tool for children SCARED – GAD subscale
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