Comprehensive labwork, don't settle for "it's just anxiety." If a doctor's first and only answer is "it's just anxiety," that might be true, but it also might not be the whole picture. Anxiety can be tangled up with gut health, blood sugar swings, thyroid function, and nutrient levels (like magnesium, B vitamins, and omega-3s). Comprehensive labwork, not just a standard checkup, can help rule in or rule out what else might be contributing. You know your kid better than anyone in that exam room. If something feels incomplete, ask for more testing. Always go with your gut.
Neurofeedback
Neurofeedback is a non-invasive way of training the brain using real-time feedback about its own activity (usually through EEG sensors and a screen or game your child interacts with). The idea is to help the brain build better self-regulation patterns over time, similar to strength training, but for nervous-system regulation. It's not an overnight fix; it's a series of sessions, and results build gradually.
ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention)
ERP is a structured therapy approach where a child gradually faces the things that trigger their anxiety, in a supported way, without relying on avoidance or rituals to feel better in the moment. Over time, this teaches the brain that the anxious feeling will pass on its own, it doesn't need to be avoided or "fixed" immediately. It's one of the most researched approaches for anxiety and OCD-spectrum struggles, and it's worth asking a children's therapist about directly.
Certain supplements that can help
This isn't medical advice, and every kid is different, always loop in your pediatrician or a functional provider before starting anything new. But some categories worth researching and asking about include magnesium (often the first thing depleted under stress), L-theanine, omega-3s, and gut-supportive probiotics, since gut health and mood are more connected than most of us grew up realizing.