ALT 8 ways a child's anxiety shows up as something else. 1. Anger: The perception of danger, stress or opposition is enough to trigger the fight or flight response leaving your child angry and without a way to communicate why. 2. Difficulty sleeping: In children, having difficulty falling asleep or staying awake is one of the hallmark characteristics of anxiety. 3. Defiance: Unable to communicate what is really going on, it is easy to interpret the child's defiance as a lack of discipline instead of an attempt to control a situation where they feel anxious and helpless. 4. Chandeliering: when a seemingly calm person suddenly flies off the handle for no reason. They have pushed hurt and anxiety so deep for so long that a seemingly innocent comment or event suddenly sends them straight through the chandelier. 5. Lack of Focus: 6. Avoidance. 7. Negativity: People with anxiety tend to experience negative thoughts at a much greater intensity than positive ones. 8. Overplanning.