Shyness vs. social phobia - AmericaNowNews.com

Is your child too shy?

Every child experiences anxiety. But a recent study finds one in 10 shy children may actually be battling a mental disorder.

"Essentially there is a number of kids who have symptoms of shyness or who are sort of slow to warming up when they meet other people, but separate from that there are also kids who have what we think of as more a social phobia, which is a more severe form of anxiety in terms of being in group settings or social settings," explains Dr. Margaret Richards, a child psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic.

Children with social phobia feel more stress and have an intense fear of being embarrassed. They will go out of their way to avoid contact with their peers. Researchers surveyed more than 10,000 kids and more than 6,000 of their parents. Nearly 46 percent of the kids thought of themselves as shy. Of these, 12 percent were found to have social phobia.

So how can parents tell if their child may be suffering?

"If you have a child who balks at the idea of going to the park or the idea of being near other kids or won't get out of the car, becomes incredibly upset, that's when you're starting to think that maybe this is a little bit more severe and it might be good to get some professional assistance," Dr. Richards says.

She also notes that social phobia is a treatable condition and improvements can happen in a relatively short period of time. With several highly effective treatment options available, children can successfully manage and overcome their anxiety.

Copyright 2012 America Now. All rights reserved.

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