My Child Has Been Having Panic Attacks. What Should I Do?

If your child has experienced more than one panic attack, you are probably feeling worried, confused and unsure of what to do next. Panic attacks are frightening to witness, and knowing that your child has had more than one can feel alarming. This post aims to explain what panic attacks are, when recurring panic attacks become panic disorder, and what help is available.

What is a Panic Attack?

A panic attack is a sudden episode of intense fear that triggers severe physical reactions despite there being no real or immediate danger. Symptoms typically include a racing or pounding heart, shortness of breath, chest tightness, dizziness, sweating, trembling, nausea and a feeling of unreality or intense dread. Panic attacks usually peak within minutes and are physically harmless, though they are intensely uncomfortable and can feel genuinely life-threatening in the moment.

What is Panic Disorder?

A single panic attack, while frightening, does not necessarily indicate panic disorder. Panic disorder is diagnosed when panic attacks become recurrent and unexpected, and when the fear of having another panic attack begins to significantly affect daily life.



The anticipatory anxiety, the persistent worry about when the next attack will occur, can be as debilitating as the attacks themselves. Many young people begin to avoid situations in which they have previously had a panic attack, or situations where they fear having one. Public transport, crowded spaces, school, social situations. The list of places that feel unsafe can grow rapidly, and the world becomes increasingly small.

Why is My Child Having Panic Attacks?

Panic attacks can develop for a number of reasons. In some young people they emerge during a period of significant stress or anxiety. In others they seem to come out of nowhere, with no obvious trigger. They are more common during adolescence than many parents realise, and can be particularly frightening for a young person who has never experienced anything like it before.



Understanding why panic attacks are occurring is an important part of treatment, and will be explored during the initial assessment with a therapist.

What Can I Do to Help My Child Right Now?

If your child is having panic attacks, there are several things you can do in the short term to support them.

Stay calm

Your child will take their cue from you during and after a panic attack. Remaining calm and reassuring, without minimising how frightening the experience is, helps your child feel safe.

Avoid reinforcing avoidance

It is natural to want to protect your child from situations that trigger panic attacks, but excessive accommodation of avoidance can maintain and strengthen panic disorder over time. Gently encourage your child to continue with everyday activities where possible.

Seek support sooner rather than later

Panic disorder tends to worsen without treatment as avoidance becomes more entrenched. Getting the right support in place early gives your child the best chance of recovering quickly.

What Treatment is Available?

CBT is the NICE recommended treatment for panic disorder, and it is highly effective. It works by helping young people understand the relationship between their thoughts, physical sensations and behaviour, and develop practical techniques to manage the physical symptoms of panic. A central part of the process involves gradual, supported exposure to the situations and sensations that have been avoided, breaking the cycle of anticipatory anxiety and avoidance.



In some cases, where panic disorder is rooted in past distressing experiences, EMDR may also be recommended following an assessment.

At Sulis Therapies

At Sulis Therapies, we treat panic disorder in children and young people using CBT and EMDR, delivered online across the UK. Get in touch to arrange a free initial consultation and find out how we can help.