Generalized anxiety disorder, or GAD, is a condition characterized by pervasive worry. It takes the form of undue distress about a variety of everyday things-worrying too much about everything. As one clinician puts it, "people with GAD worry that they aren't worrying because there should be something to worry about." In children the anxiety is often focused on performance in school or sports-Will I pass the test? What if I don't play well? Will I get into a good college?-and may drive extreme studying or practicing. A kid with GAD is "her own tyrant," in the words of another clinician. It can emerge in childhood as well as adolescence, and is more prevalent in girls than boys, as with all anxiety disorders. The anxiety impacts a child's quality of life and the ability to participate in social activities and school.

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