Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)

As a worried parent, the term “generalized anxiety disorder” might seem to fall short of really describing the intense feelings of stress, fear and frustration your child may be experiencing.

At the same time, you may find that your list of questions seems endless: Why does my child have this disorder? Will she need medication? How will GAD impact her life at home, school and with friends? 

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD):

• is characterized by excessive worrying that is not linked to any one event or situation
• causes a child to feel significantly distressed over any number of things—from the health of family members to tests at school and future events
• is not defined by what the child is anxious about, but instead, by how severe and chronic the anxious feelings are
• is common among children and adolescents
• is treatable with the guidance of clinicians

In the pages that follow, we hope you will find answers to your most pressing questions. When you meet with our experts, we can explain your child’s condition and treatment options fully—and ensure that you come away with a sense of how we can support you and your child in the healing process. 

How Children’s Hospital Boston approaches anxiety disorders

Children’s has long been at the forefront of providing expert, compassionate care to children and adolescents with mental and behavioral health issues. Our Department of Psychiatry team members are leaders in researching, diagnosing and treating GAD and other anxiety disorders, as well as mood disorders such as:

• depression
• bipolar disorder
• traumatic stress
• many other conditions that cause psychological, emotional and social difficulties

Children’s approach to mental health care is evidence-based—which means that our treatments have been tested and proven effective through scientific studies, both here at our hospital and by other leading institutions worldwide. We use “talk therapy” as our primary method of treatment for anxiety, focusing on teaching children helpful thinking and coping skills to overcome symptoms and adopt new, healthier thought patterns and behaviors.

In certain instances, we might recommend that your child begin an anti-anxiety medication regimen—always in conjunction with talk therapy. Children’s has a dedicated Psychopharmacology Clinic to help determine whether medication might be a helpful addition to your child’s treatment plan.

Our team is always aware that your child is, first and foremost, a child—and not merely a recipient of care. You and your family are essential members of the treatment team, and our compassionate mental health professionals will include you in the therapeutic process at every step of the way. 

Generalized anxiety disorder: Reviewed by David R. DeMaso, MD
© Children’s Hospital Boston, 2010