| Children and Stress: What are the Signs |
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| Wednesday, 14 January 2009 23:24 | |||
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Frequent headaches, girding teeth, insomnia, bad dreams, difficulty concentrating, trouble learning new information and forgetfulness, are a few of the symptoms the American Institute of Stress (AIS), lists as signs of stress in children. To further our understanding, my dictionary defines stress as a state of mental or emotional strain/tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances. The AIS gives us a similar definition telling us that stress (defined in 1936, by Hans Selye) is the non-specific responses of the body to any demand for change. Each young person is unique in how he or she responds to change or anxiety. An event, situation or activity that may cause apprehension in one child, may be very comfortable for another. Children do not always know how to mange the stress in their lives; it is important that we do not dismiss them but provide them with the support that is necessary. It is not uncommon to hear adults say, “Stress, what do they know about it? They are kids; they have food and shelter, clothes and shoes. What’s there to stress about?” While statements like this may be understandable, they are not always true. Issues such as: social and peer pressures, difficulty understanding school subjects, poverty, fighting parents and lack of parental support are only a few issues that may cause a child to experience negative stress. While children learn to manage the stress in their lives by experiencing it, it is my belief that we are to be available for our sons and daughters when they need advice, comfort or a willing listener. There are many ways that we can help children manage stress. Some ways include:
Young people become more resilient when they have support from family or friends. It is important for adults to know that while a situation may seem simple to us, it may be a very huge issue for a child. Further, let us remember that if we diminish what is important to our children now, they may be reluctant to come to us in the future.
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| Last Updated on Wednesday, 14 January 2009 23:29 |
Stress can be positive or negative. Positive stress is the nervousness that motivates us to be prepared before we stand in front of our classmates to deliver a presentation. Negative stress on the other hand carries with it an assortment of symptoms that are less useful. Related Articles
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