How do symptoms of anxiety typically differ in children compared to adults?

When considering how symptoms of anxiety differ between children and adults, the choice that states children may show irritability or avoidance is particularly insightful. Children often lack the verbal communication skills to articulate their feelings as clearly as adults can. Instead of verbally expressing their fears, children frequently manifest anxiety through behavioral changes, such as becoming irritable, withdrawn, or avoiding situations that may induce anxiety. This behavioral expression can reflect their discomfort or distress more accurately than words.

In contrast, adults are often able to identify and verbalize their anxious feelings, which can lead to a more varied expression of anxiety, including physical symptoms like increased heart rate or sweating. Additionally, equating the symptoms of adults and children overlooks the developmental differences in coping and communication strategies, where adults are typically better equipped to handle stress through articulation. Therefore, identifying irritability or avoidance in children as key indicators of anxiety reflects a nuanced understanding of how anxiety can be expressed distinctly at different ages.