Panic Disorder in Children

A retrospective study has shown that 40% of adult Panic Disorder patients reported that their disorder began before the age of 20.[11] In an article examining the phenomenon of Panic Disorder in youth, Diler et al. (2004)[12] found that only a few past studies have examined the occurrence of juvenile Panic Disorder. They report that these studies have found that the symptoms of juvenile Panic Disorder almost replicate those found in adults – e.g. heart palpitations, sweating, trembling, hot flashes, nausea, abdominal distress, and chills.

Substance Abuse and Panic Disorder

A growing body of evidence exists that shows a link between substance abuse and panic disorder. Several studies have found that cigarette smoking increases the risk of panic attacks and Panic Disorder in young people.[2][3] While the mechanism of how smoking increases panic attacks is not fully understood, a few hypotheses have been derived. Smoking cigarettes may lead to panic attacks by causing changes in respiratory function (e.g. feeling short of breath). These respiratory changes in turn can lead to the formation of panic attacks, as respiratory symptoms are a prominent feature of panic.[4][5] Respiratory abnormalities have been found in children with high levels of anxiety, which suggests that a person with these difficulties may be susceptible to panic attacks, and thus more likely to subsequently develop Panic Disorder. Nicotine is also a stimulant which could contribute to panic attacks.

Panic Disorder: Occurrence

Panic Disorder is a serious health problem but can be successfully treated. It is estimated that up to 1.7 percent of the adult American population has Panic Disorder at some point in their lives. It typically strikes in early adulthood; roughly half of all people who have Panic Disorder develop the condition before age 24, especially if the person has been subjected to a traumatic experience. However, some sources say that the majority of young people affected for the first time are between the ages of 25 and 30. Women are twice as likely as men to develop Panic Disorder.

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