Health experts want to expand anxiety screenings to kids as young as eight

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – According to the National Institutes of Mental Health, close to one-third of all American kids under 18 are reported to have an anxiety disorder. That’s almost 6M kids across the country. This has the U.S. Preventive Service Task Force asking that the starting age for anxiety screening be lowered to children as young as 8 years old. 

News 8 spoke with Jennie Voelker, licensed mental health counselor at Community Health, who says why screening younger people will help children get the help they need before things escalate into a crisis.

“If we can catch symptoms of an anxiety disorder early and treat them, we can prevent more serious anxiety disorders, depression, and even substance abuse disorders as children move from teens to adulthood,” Voelker said.

Voelker says signs of anxiety parents should look for include: trouble sleeping, trouble concentrating, clinginess, irritability, and emotional outbursts. 

It’s not clear when the Task Force is expected to release their updated recommendation. As of now, the document remains in draft form.