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“Panic attack” is a phrase often used for strong anxious feelings. But feeling panicky and having a panic attack are not the same thing. This article will cover:

• What panic attacks are
• How to help a child or teen during a panic attack
• Difference between panic attacks and panic disorders
• Common treatments for panic attacks and panic disorders.

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1. What are panics attacks?

A panic attack is the sudden onset of overwhelming, and incapacitating fear.  

Panic attacks usually peak at 10 minutes and ease off by about a 30 minutes.

Panic attacks can provoke a strong desire to escape from the situation. Fear of having another panic attack can trigger a new one.

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2. What are the symptoms of a panic attack??

• Racing heart
• Sweating
• Dizziness
• Shortness of breath
• Shaking
• Nausea

Often a person having a panic attack may feel like they’re having a heart attack or are dying.  If this happens, telling your child things like “calm down” or “it’s not that bad” isn’t helpful and can signal to the child that you don’t understand or respect their feelings.

3. How can I help a child during a panic attack?

As a parent, seeing your child experience a panic attack can be stressful. Here’s how you can help:

1. Help relax your child’s body: Panic attacks are an extreme physical manifestation of fear. Helping a child get control of their breathing can greatly help alleviate an attack. Show your child how to breathe through the nose and fill their belly with air. Help them slow down to 1 breath every 5 seconds (12 per minute).  Have your child tense up their muscles and then relax them. For a younger child, imagine that they are a doll and relax the whole body at once.
   
2. Help ease your child’s mind: Talk in a calm voice. Help them focus on the present by encouraging them to notice specific sights, smells, sounds or textures around them. Give them something cold to touch or sour to taste.
   
3. Show them skills to next time: Teach your child about panic symptoms, and explain that these symptoms are a false alarm in your body. For older children or teens, explain how anticipating a stressful event can trigger anxiety as well, and work to make a plan to cope with the stressful event.

4. Treatment for panic attacks and panic disorders

Children or teens needing additional support or treatment for panic attacks are often treated using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

In CBT, children learn that panic attacks aren’t going to physically hurt them.

Therapists may have them do things like jumping jacks to get their heart racing so they can practice skills to feel calm during the physical experience of a panic attack. Learn more about how CBT works

Learn how to help your child during a panic attack and cope with anxiety with a course that combines live coaching and on-demand lessons

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