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Can children be
stressed?
Children experience stress just as
adults do. Even though they might not work or have to face many
of the issues that adults deal with, children can become
stressed by peer pressure, academic demands, various fears and
feelings of insecurity. Stress in children often goes
unrecognised as children are less able to describe how they are
feeling and what they are going through. Very often, stress
manifests as a physical complaint or as a behaviour problem.
These children are then mistaken for being naughty, rude or
disobedient.
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What are signs that a child is
feeling stressed?
- Changes in behaviour and
habits
- Loss of interest in activities
he or she used to enjoy
- Increased irritability,
moodiness and tears
- Return to less mature
behaviour such as thumb sucking, tantrums or even bedwetting
(regression)
- Subtle reactions such as a
strange look or frowning
- Recurring stomachaches,
headaches or other pains
- Being more quiet than usual
- Excessive restlessness and
difficulty settling down
- Increased reactivity - for
example, becoming disproportionately upset over a small mistake
- Sleep disturbance
What can I do if I think that
my child is feeling stressed?
- Help your child to identify
what is happening. Teach him or her to recognise the signs of
stress and the changes they feel in themselves (e.g. rapid
heartbeat, sweaty palms, stomachaches, etc.)
- Talk and encourage your child
to express his or her feelings openly. Acknowledge their
feelings and let them know that it is okay to feel that way.
- Help your child to view a
distressing situation more positively by engaging them in
problem solving or using humour to help lighten the situation.
- Provide opportunities for
exercise and physical activity. Exercise and physical activity
can help burn off stressful feelings.
- Ensure that your child is
eating well and getting enough rest. Physical well being is all
the more important when your child is experiencing psychological
and emotional stress.
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Trauma
- An extreme form of
stress
Despite adults'
best efforts, children are not always spared from traumatic
experiences. Children proceed through a variety of stages when
faced with a traumatic event.
- Terror - expressed through crying, vomiting, becoming mute
or running away
- Rage and anger - with accompanying physical symptoms such as
increased heart rate, tension in muscles, etc
- Denial - expressed as unwillingness to talk about what
happened or withdrawing into unusual patterns of behaviour
- Grief - which could remain unresolved unless appropriately
addressed
- Shame and guilt - Children do not believe in randomness and
may even feel at fault after a disaster. These feelings need to
be addressed as the child may not know how to resolve them on
his or her own
While parents are
often in a good position to help children who have been through
trauma, it is often also a good idea to work together with a
professional such as a psychologist to evaluate the child's
progress. |
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A supportive family environment
and healthy parent-child relationship are key in helping
children overcome their feelings of stress. However, there may
be times or particular situations when parents feel unsure or
unable to cope with their child's distress. Under such
circumstances, parents should consider consulting with a
professional such as a psychologist to address their child's
issues more effectively.
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