All Things Anxiety: Defining, differentiating and diagnosing anxiety in children and adolescents.

Dr. John Walkup, a child and adolescent psychiatrist, discusses a range of anxiety disorder along with providing a road map for various treatment modalities. He describes three common anxiety disorders in children: separation anxiety, social anxiety, and generalized anxiety.

Dr. Walkup emphasizes the importance of understanding the triggers and developmental experiences associated with these disorders. He also discusses the challenges in diagnosing anxiety and the need for a comprehensive approach that considers the root cause and longitudinal analysis.

He also discusses the effectiveness of different treatment options, including medication and therapy, and addresses common concerns and misconceptions parents may have. He highlights the need for a collaborative and individualized approach to treatment, considering the unique needs and circumstances of each child.

TUMAT Takeaways:

• Anxiety is a healthy human emotion, but there are also pathologic forms of anxiety.

• Separation anxiety, social anxiety, and generalized anxiety are common anxiety disorders in children.

• Understanding the triggers and developmental experiences associated with anxiety disorders is crucial for diagnosis and treatment.

• Cognitive-behavioral therapies, such as progressive desensitization and exposure therapy, are effective in treating childhood anxiety.

• Parent interventions play a significant role in the treatment of anxiety disorders in children. A comprehensive approach that considers the full context of a child's life and experiences is crucial in the treatment of anxiety and other mental health conditions.

• Combining medication and therapy can lead to higher remission rates and better outcomes for children with anxiety.

• Parents may have concerns and misconceptions about medication, but it is important to have open and honest discussions with healthcare providers to make informed decisions.

• Long-term treatment and rehabilitation may be necessary for children who have experienced chronic anxiety or other mental health conditions.

More on Dr. John Walkup:

Dr. Walkup is an international authority on Tourette syndrome and has extensive experience as a principal investigator in NIH-funded treatment trials in child and adolescent psychopathology, including anxiety and mania. Dr. Walkup has three main academic areas of interest. His work with Tourette syndrome, uniquely spans psychiatry, child psychiatry and neurology; his expertise in interventions research focuses on the development and evaluation of psychopharmacological and psychosocial treatments for the major psychiatric disorders of childhood including anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, Tourette syndrome and suicidal behavior; and lastly, he has been involved in developing and evaluating interventions to reduce the large mental health disparities facing Native American youth, specifically drug use and suicide prevention.

Dr. Walkup was recently elected president-elect for the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and also serves on the Scientific Advisory Boards of the Trichotillomania Learning Center, the Anxiety Disorders Association of America, and the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention. Previously, Dr. Walkup was the Chair of the Medical Advisory Board of the Tourette Association of America. He is also the Deputy Editor for Psychopharmacology for the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. His research has been published in major medical journals including Journal of the American Medical Association and the New England Journal of Medicine, an unusual accomplishment for a child and adolescent psychiatrist.

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