Most anxious children do not have a specific event that triggered their anxiety, but some do. Certainly some situations can be anxiety producing, especially those that disrupt the child's sense of structure and order in their world (parental divorce, deaths in the family, trauma, moves). In addition, it is common for some children to have anxiety during specific transitions, the start of daycare, kindergarten, junior high or high school. Many children make it through these periods without incident. With these events or transitions, other children may go through a brief period of adjustment including clinging, increased sensitivity and some regression to earlier periods. When this reaction is prolonged or does not end, then children need treatment.

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