Pediatric Anxiety and Tic Disorders Program
Welcome to the University of Michigan Pediatric Anxiety and Tic Disorders Program. We are a program wholly devoted to:
- Providing the highest quality, evidence-based clinical care to child and adolescent patients who are coping with anxiety disorders.
- Training child psychiatry clinicians to effectively diagnose and treat anxiety in young patients.
- Conducting research to enable the development of better diagnostic and treatment strategies for pediatric anxiety.
Anxiety disorders are the most common psychiatric problem in children and adolescents, affecting up to 20% of all youth, and leading to impairment across academic, social, and family domains. The good news is that effective treatments are currently available.
Despite research advances to establish safe and effective therapies, pediatric anxiety disorders remain underdiagnosed, leading to unnecessary suffering in many young people. Transient fears and anxieties can be a part of normal development, but if the anxiety causes excessive distress and/or interferes with school performance, activities, or relationships with family or friends, these could be symptoms of an anxiety disorder. At the University of Michigan Pediatric Anxiety and Tic Disorders Program, we strive to help young patients through the delivery of expert clinical care and cutting-edge research for the following disorders:
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) – characterized by recurrent, intrusive thoughts (obessions) and repetitive, ritualistic behaviors (compulsions). Patients often intend for compulsive behaviors to control anxiety-provoking thoughts, but end up being controlled by their OCD. OCD is distressing and can lead to impaired function, but cognitive behavior therapy and medications have proven effective in treating the disorder.
Seperation Anxiety Disorder – associated with severe distress upon separation from a place or person with whom a patient is emotionally attached. Children may refuse to go to school or camp, and often have fears regarding the health and safety of their parents during even brief separations. Cognitive behavior therapy is a first-line and effective treatment, but medications can help too.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder – an anxiety disorder that most commonly strikes in adolescence, but can occur earlier. Characterized by chronic, exaggerated worry, tension, and irritability that are more intense than the situation warrants. Frequently associated with physical complaints and depression. Responsive to cognitive behavioral therapy and relaxation training, as well as medications.
Social Phobia – characterized by a strong fear of being judged by others and of being embarrassed. This fear can get in the way of going to school or doing other everyday things (eating, talking, writing) in public. Patients typically begin to experience symtpoms during their early teen years, and can be helped by cogntive behavior therapy and/or medications.
Specific Phobia - excessive, irrational fear of a specific object or situation (animals, heights, bridges). Spefiic phobias can lead to avoidance behaviors, and are often associated with other, co-occurring anxiety disorders.
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder – develops after a traumatic event. Symptoms range from recurrent, intrusive thoughts of the event (can manifest as repetitive, trauma-related play), emotional numbing, feeling “on edge,” irritability, difficulty concentrating, insomnia and nightmares. Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy is the first-line treatment. Medications may also help to control symptoms.
Panic Disorder – associated with recurring panic attacks in which patients experience a sudden feeling of terror for no reason, often in combination with physical symptoms such as shortness of breat, fast heart beat, and dizziness. May lead to significant behavioral change as patients seek to avoid future attacks. Typically develops during later adolescence, and may be preceded by other anxiety disorders in early- to mid-childhood.
Tic Disorders – Tics are sudden involuntary movements or sounds that affect up to 10 percent of children during school-age years, and occur commonly in association with anxiety disorders, especially OCD. Often tics are hardly noticeable, and resolve on their own, but in more severe cases, treatment may be warranted. Medication and/or a specialized form of thepray, habit reversal training, may be used to help control tics.
For more in-depth information about anxiety disorders in children and adolescents, including typically prescribed medicatioin and cognitive behavioral treatments, please refer to our resources page. The development of novel treatment strategies will depend on clinical research to understand the biological basis of pediatric anxiety. To learn more about research efforts at the Pediatric Anxiety and Tic Disorders Program, click here.
