Agoraphobia in children can be difficult to diagnose. Children are naturally less articulate than adults and may offer complaints that may not be exact. Because of this, treatment is usually more expensive as the first recourse that the parents will naturally take is the medical hospital.

There will usually be several visits to the physician where tests are potentially painful and expensive not to mention the fact that kids at that very moment are terrified of leaving the comforts of their homes and the people that they are familiar with.

When properly evaluated, agoraphobia in children could be treated fast and the effects are long lasting. But then, they have to be evaluated by the family pediatrician and coursed, if not directly brought to a qualified psychologist for a comprehensive evaluation and therapy.

Panic disorder is common and very treatable. However if the panic disorder in children is not treated immediately, it will develop into complications that will be devastating for the child. The development of agoraphobia in children will become a burden to the family, as the child will tend to be more and more dependent on the adults. It can interfere with relationships, schoolwork and the child's general development. Children already suffering from agoraphobia will start getting anxious and behave erratically even when they are not having panic attacks.

Agoraphobia in children, like those in the adults are being afraid of the attacks, hence there is an anticipatory attitude where another panic attack could strike.

When for no real reason that is tangible to you, the child starts being reluctant to go to school and is starting to be afraid of being separated from you, start investigating. Your child may or may not be having panic attacks but it is better to take precautions.

Agoraphobia in children may lead later on to the need for self-isolation, tremendous suffering and if not recognized and treated at the onset, will actually start avoiding certain situations and places and start the feeling of depression. Untreated agoraphobia in adolescents could lead to seeking their own way at decreasing anxiety and depression that often leads to alcohol, drug abuse and in some cases, suicide.

Children, as earlier mentioned may lack the exact words that adults could understand but the symptoms will still be the same. The following may not cover the whole range of symptoms for agoraphobia in children but they are the most common. Watch out for these:

* Breathlessness

* Chest discomfort

* Chest pain

* Chest pressure

* Chills

* Choking sensation

* Detachment

* Dizziness

* Excessive sweating

* Fear of dying

* Fear of losing control

* Feeling of unreality

* Heart palpitations

* Hot flashes

* Intense fear

* Lightheadedness

* Lump in your throat

* Nausea

* Numbness

* Pounding heartbeat

* Racing heartbeat

* Shaking

* Skipping heartbeat

* Stomach problems

* Terror

* Throat tightness

* Tingling

* Trembling

* Urge to flee

If agoraphobia in adult could be debilitating, for kids it is even harder. The child will become insufferable and instead of the treatment that the child really needs, will be subjected to being misunderstood. The seeming tantrums could lead to tempers flared and child being abused by their elders without really intending to.

For all the dangers that agoraphobia in children poses, children with the panic disorder responds very well to treatment.