| Many parents show concern over their children's | | | | drama classes or summer camps. |
| shyness. A shy child , who is not overly shy, maybe | | | | Having said that, it is important to note that |
| cute; but there's always the fear that he will develop | | | | sometimes there is no identifiable cause for the child's |
| into an adult that suffers from excessive shyness | | | | social anxiety. In these instances, try to assess the |
| and social anxiety. So let us examine whether shy | | | | situation objectively. Is the child's shyness very |
| children invariably develop into socially anxious adult or | | | | pronounced? Is it affecting his/her social life? Is it |
| not? | | | | causing them any distress? Because making the |
| First of all, if we understand the root of a child's | | | | distinction between a child who is only shy around |
| shyness we can assess whether it will be long | | | | adult strangers and a child whose social anxiety |
| standing or not. A child that is shy, or socially | | | | causes them to have no friends is very important. |
| inhibited, because he has a speech problem | | | | If your child's shyness is distressing him/her, or if it |
| (stuttering for example) might not necessarily | | | | is socially incapacitating, in addition to offering |
| develop into a shy adult. In case with identifiable | | | | unconditional love and support, please consider |
| causes, you remove the cause and you improve the | | | | consulting a professional. Early therapy usually has the |
| chances of recovery from shyness. But please note | | | | best benefits and can detect any unresolved issues |
| that the problems that persist the longest are the | | | | or conflicts that the child might have. So, the answer |
| most notorious to treat. And sometimes, even after | | | | to the extreme shyness and social anxiety dilemma in |
| the long-standing underlying problem has been | | | | childhood is, in many instances, parental awareness |
| addressed, shyness seems to persist. This is because | | | | and positive interference. Otherwise, these children |
| with the passage of time, it becomes increasingly | | | | may indeed suffer for many years to come. |
| difficult for a child to get rid of his shyness; old habits | | | | It is important to say, however, that some children |
| die hard as they say. If the root of the child's | | | | do outgrow their shyness and social anxiety, but |
| shyness is something beyond your control: fear not, | | | | these children tend to be the least affected in the |
| there is still hope. Sometimes by developing a special | | | | first place. And since, as a parent, you have no way |
| skill your child possesses you can help them | | | | of knowing, it is always better to play it safe and err |
| tremendously by reinforcing their self-esteem. Some | | | | on the side of caution because consulting a |
| shy children even benefit from repeated exposures | | | | professional child psychologist or behavioral therapist |
| to situations which they deem difficult, like special | | | | offers the best results when started early. |