The stress of children

Stress is a response of our body to a situation that demands an adaptation or a change. The symptoms of childhood stress are varied and their observable consequences at the family, school and relational levels. Following some guidelines can greatly reduce the impact of stress in childhood. Vital fac

Stress is a response of our body to a situation that demands an adaptation or a change. The symptoms of childhood stress are varied and their observable consequences at the family, school and relational levels. Following some guidelines can greatly reduce the impact of stress in childhood.

Vital factors such as the birth of a sibling, the start of daycare, a change of school or home, the death or illness of a relative, homework, exams or an excess of extracurricular activities may be the cause of stress childish.

Symptoms of stress in children

The symptoms of childhood stress are varied and can be classified as physical, emotional or behavioral. Each child will manifest it in one way or another, presenting more symptoms of one group than another or a mixture of all of them with greater or lesser intensity. Parents should pay special attention if our child begins to present some of these symptoms.

- Physical symptoms: Exhaustion, extreme tiredness or, on the contrary, excessive agitation, headaches or stomach aches, changes in appetite, enuresis, nightmares.

- Emotional symptoms: Uncontrolled bouts (children crying for everything that happens to them), low tolerance for frustration (they quickly explode before a no or something that frustrates them), anxiety, appearance of new fears or exacerbation of the ancients ( fear of the dark, to be alone, to go to school, to strangers, ...), mamitis or papitis, regressions (for example, return to talk like a baby, suck your finger ...).

- Behavioral symptoms: Stubborn and / or aggressive behaviors, appearance or increase of tantrums, unwillingness or dejection (not wanting anything, or playing with friends).

Consequences of stress in children

The consequences of childhood stress can be seen at the family, school and social levels.

- When we have a child at home who is suffering from stress, the family climate suffers. Our son has become more irascible, agitated or uneasy. He does not eat well, sleeps badly or wakes up at night. Under these circumstances it is normal for parents to be anguished and not know what to do.

- At the school level, we can observe how our son has a hard time paying attention and concentrating, he is not able to do school work as before and his grades get worse.

- It is possible that he begins to present difficulties to relate with his friends, that he isolates himself, that he is afraid or begins to behave aggressively with his companions, to cry for any reason or surrender to any difficulty.