It’s ok for children to be anxious from 8 months through the pre-school years. They will have fear of the dark, storms, animals, or strangers. You should watch for severe anxieties though: phobia, social anxiety, and separation anxiety. Children will worry too much about things that might not even happen. This was a big one for me when I was a child: I worried too much about making a mistake & was embarrassed to speak in front of the whole class. Well, I’m still a little embarrassed to speak in front of large crowds but I have found other people like me & it makes me feel so much better. The world seemed such a big place when you were little & as you grow up you find out it’s truly a small world. Twenty people at my elementary school classroom seemed a large crowd. Now, hundreds of people at a baseball game are a large crowd. Try thinking of how difficult it’s for your child in his/her world to cope with life. It might be just as difficult for you except you have already learned how to deal with it: interviews, doctors’ appointments, new coworkers, a nosy mother in law, etc. It’s not the end of the world. With lots of patience & some professional help things can improve. Anxiety will also influence your child’s health. Symptoms such as diarrhea, headaches, nausea & dizziness might occur.