How does this age group experience anxiety?
“Children at this age don’t tend to recognise anxiety as a concept but they can experience feelings in their body, such as stomach aches, leg pain or headaches. You might be able to see the anxiety in their faces. They may stop playing, seek excessive reassurance, be more emotional, or have more tears than usual. They may also start expressing challenging behaviour, changes in sleep or appetite or start wetting the bed.” – Dr Jenna
“As most of the communication within this group is pre-verbal, parents of babies and toddlers will need to look out for subtle cues – for example, a toddler regularly holding their tummy at mealtimes. If a parent is anxious, attachment can be hindered between the parents and their infant at this age. Because this transference could be internalised by the infant, it’s worth keeping an eye on your own mental health.” – Joanne
