Stress is a response of the body to any stimulus that the person perceives as distressing, unpleasant or with difficulty adapting to it. A priori, we might think that children are raised in environments with less stressful factors than adults, but the truth is that In recent years the number of children and adolescents with stress has increased considerably.
Family or social situations (a divorce, the birth of a brother, a move, the daily rhythm of life, the news of the world, the death of a loved one ...), school-related factors (a change of school, exams, duties, bullying ...) or aspects of the health field (diseases, allergies, pain ...) can be a cause of stress for the child. What symptoms should alert us and how can we treat it?
Symptoms of stress in children
While it is not always easy to recognize stress in children, there are certain signs that may indicate that something is wrong. In any case, we must take into account that each child is unique and therefore can react differently to stress. Even the same situation experienced at the same time by two children (for example, two brothers before their parents' divorce) can lead them to respond differently.
The symptoms of childhood stress are different from those that occur in adulthood because children perceive and understand the world differently. Likewise, symptoms will also vary depending on age.
Children under five years old
State of constant irritability: children who cry frequently or have tantrums often without being habitual in them
Problems related to sleep: nightmares appear, insomnia, fear of going to sleep, fear of darkness ...
Setbacks in its development: They begin to pee over despite controlling sphincters for a long time, speech difficulties appear (stuttering, selective mutism ...), they show more childish behaviors than expected due to their age ...
Appetite changes
Children over five years old
Humor changes: irritability, tears for no reason, aggressiveness, bad mood, negativity, apathy, anger, inability to manage emotions, low tolerance for frustration ...
Behavior Changes: they do things to get attention, they start fighting with their siblings or other family members, they give answers out of place, they are worried or anxious, they have repeated phobias or recurring fears ...
Changes in school: poor academic performance or poor grades (compared to previous grades), loss of concentration, motivation or reluctance ...
Changes in your daily routines: reluctance or laziness to face day to day or daily activities, fatigue, demotivation ...
Appetite changes: they eat compulsively or, on the contrary, begin to show reluctance or apathy for food
Sleep related problems: nightmares, fear of going to sleep, begin to wet the bed when they already had perfect sphincter control ...
Physical symptoms: often headaches or stomachaches for no apparent reason are usually the most prominent symptoms of childhood stress, but others related to oral health or an increase in asthmatic crises may also arise
What can we do about this situation?
If we suspect stress in our child the best thing is consult with your pediatrician or a professional child therapy specialist so that, through an assessment, we know the reason or reasons that are causing that situation.
But regardless of the guidelines offered by the specialist, we can also carry out a series of measures that help our child control and reduce his stress:
Provide a proper rest and make sure he sleeps the number of hours he deserves
Watch your diet so that it is be rich and varied
Encourage him to do physical exercise. Physical activity will help you release energy and feel better, but if you also practice it in our company we will be strengthening bonds and having a fun time with family. Swimming, cycling, jogging or walking in the countryside ... The important thing is to oxygenate, free the mind and enjoy together.
Foster communication
It is important that parents communicate with our children daily, put aside the mobile and enjoy family time: talk, be interested in your day, your problems or concerns and also share ours with them.
We can help us with resources to foster that communication, such as the debate, the games, the books… In short, it is about finding quality time to spend with our children and giving them confidence to talk about any topic.
It is also important agree with them family decisions. Obviously there will be issues that can only be treated by adults, but in those in which the child can express his opinion, it should be heard and taken into account.
- Strengthen positive behaviors
It is important that parents banish NO and punishment as ways of educating our children, and we are committed to new forms of communication and the reinforcement of positive behaviors. This will bring confidence to our children, make them feel stronger and safer and help improve their self-esteem.
- Work emotions
Let's talk with our son about his emotions and remind him that feeling angry, sad or afraid, for example, is normal and that we all experience sometime. However, it is good to understand that these feelings should not stop you in your day to day or prevent you from enjoying the beautiful things.
Therefore, it is important to teach him how to manage what he is feeling, to take it out, to understand it and to try to recover its calm state. We can help with resources such as reading certain stories, games or tricks, listening to relaxing music, hot baths, breathing control ...
Likewise, if we believe that a certain situation will cause stress to our child, we should talk with him, find out the reasons that cause his anxiety and work together to try to avoid it.
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In Babies and More Emotional Development, Emotional Education, Child Stress
