An increasing awareness of mental health issues in young children has resulted in a suite of new services being offered to address the problem for families in Canberra.
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Statistics show an increase in the number of children and young people being treated for anxiety and similar conditions by ACT Health's child and adolescent mental health service.
The service open its doors to 63,430 visits from young people from 2013-14, an increase of 7,354 from the previous year.
A spokesman for Health Minister Simon Corbell said part of the increase can be attributed to an ongoing awareness of anxiety in the community and amongst the medical community.
ACT Medicare Local chairman Martin Liedvogel said around one in 10 children suffer from anxiety in Australia.
Child psychologists were co-located with general practitioners at ACT Medicare Local child and family centres in Tuggeranong, West Belconnen and Gungahlin as part of the Health in Mind federal government initiative last November.
Dr Liedvogel said the program would provide more seamless treatment for a child with mental health issues.
"[This was implemented] because of the realisation that mental health issues do happen to children too, its not just something adults experience," he said.
"Anxiety is an important issue but it's harder to detect [in children].
"[Children] usually have a change in behaviour where they withdraw, or become irritable or aggressive. they may just become increasingly shy so they withdraw from social situations. They can have physical symptoms too, like headaches... nausea."
"Its often hard to put a finger on what is going on."
University of Canberra assistant professor in psychology Vivienne Lewis runs the Cool Kids at UC program, designed for families of children aged six to 12.
Developed by Macquarie University, the course educates families on how to better manage their child's anxiety.
More than 100 families applied to join the 10-week program, which runs three times a year, in 2014.
"We see many children at the University of Canberra presenting with anxiety, anywhere from age six upwards," Dr Lewis said.
"Its one the biggest mental health concerns we see in the clinic.
"We see children not able to engage in normal day to day activities because of their anxieties."
Mr Corbell's spokesman said the Community Services directorate provided programs for children experiencing anxiety, through child and family centres.
The Australian National University also runs an anxiety clinic and general practitioners also provide support for children with anxiety.
