Pediatria pre prax 4/2012

Social phobia in children

When diagnosing pathological anxiety in children one needs to consider the following aspects: development, maturity, society and communication. Behavioral inhibition/extreme shyness/is a permanent temperament trait, often combined with poor recognition of emotional facial expressions. It is defined by biological markers and reflects a specific susceptibility to neurotic disorders. Children with anxiety suffer from a behavioral inhibition related to persistent fear and show a marked body reaction to stress. In adolescence such children will be at higher risk of chronic anxiety, depression and substance abuse. A treatment would include a combination of psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy and sociotherapy.

Keywords: behavioral inhibition, emotional facial expressions, symptoms, treatments.