It’s hard to believe that a man who has grappled with anxiety since childhood could stand in front of a packed audience and give a 90-minute presentation. But Dr. Paul Foxman has been able to manage his own anxiety and has used that firsthand experience to help families.

Foxman gave parents much to think about during his presentation at Friends Academy on Tuesday night. His lecture was the first in a three-part speaker series this academic year. His discussion on childhood anxiety was informed by his work as the founder and director of the Center for Anxiety Disorders in Vermont. He has also written a handful of books on the subject.

He discussed why and what kinds of young people become susceptible to anxiety and offered avenues parents can take to help their children develop into happy, independent adults.

“Think of fear as an instinctive reaction to danger or threat wired into us,” said Foxman. “In a simple sense, we could think of anxiety as the fear reaction when there’s no actual danger or threat.”

Signs of child – or adult – anxiety include impaired attention, resistance to attend school or avoidance of school entirely, issues falling and remaining asleep, indecisiveness and behavioral problems.

“I think of behavior as a form of communication. Children communicate their feelings often in their behavior because they don’t have the language to express [themselves],” he said, adding that it’s the parent’s role to suss out what it is their child is trying to tell them through their actions.

Foxman said there are three main factors that work in tandem to set off an anxiety reaction: biological sensitivity, the personality traits of the child and stress.

Biological sensitivity can be particularly tricky to overcome because it’s innate in children.

“About 20 percent of infants are born more sensitive to external stimuli, like lights and sound and temperature, and internal sensations, like fluctuations in blood sugar level and fatigue,” he said.

Foxman recommends simple steps to help children deal with this predisposition, many of which are basic steps to achieve better health. Parents should ensure that their children are getting enough sleep, eating smaller amounts of food more frequently throughout the day and exercising to release tension.

He noted that turning off electronic devices an hour before bed each night will help the brain ease into sleep.

“If you’re exposed to an electronic screen, your brain doesn't know what time of day it is,” he said.

For parents concerned about their child’s anxiety level, he said another great step is reducing stress in their lives. This can be achieved through helping the child develop better time management skills and creating structure in their lives by setting a consistent schedule.

“What research says is that the one most influential thing you can do to reduce anxiety: family dinners. That means turning off the TV. No texting or email checking,” said Foxman.

Parents can also help reduce their child’s anxiety by addressing their own stress level, by validating and discussing their children’s feelings, by showing affection and reassurance, and by seeking professional help if the child is showing abnormal levels of anxiety.

As someone who experienced anxiety issues throughout his life, Foxman said that it’s never too early to look at the mental wellbeing of a child.

“If you teach anxiety management skills early in life, you’re saving a lot of suffering. It took me an awful long time. I was an adult before I figured out what I had and then what to do about it,” he said.

“Anxiety’s a lot like dyslexia. It’s never really gone, but you learn how to manage it so you’re not symptomatic. If you manage stress, you don't have to have the anxiety.”