Stress Busters by Dana Smith Bader in OTR Blog
“Children like adults can experience stress and, if left unmanaged, this stress can manifest into physical symptoms. Therefore, it is important for parents to understand why children get stressed and how to help them manage that stress. This week we look at healthy ways to manage stress in children.”
I first understood children could experience stress when my eldest daughter was just in second grade. She was my first born, so her father and I, wanting the very best for our daughter, had enrolled her in a first-rate, academic-focused elementary school that not only got excellent results but also had children sit for exams as early as first grade. What did I know? I thought I was doing the best for her by preparing her for later academic rigors of middle and secondary school. Unfortunately, it was too much for her. Every day on the way to school, she would complain of a stomach ache and insist on stopping to go to the toilet. Our only choice was an EPPCO on the way to school, and as I waited for her outside of the toilet stall, urging her to finish as quickly as possible so we would not be late for school, I worried about her health, wondering why she had a stomach ache every day. When I took her to the doctor and insisted on a scan to rule out any horrible malady, I was relieved to learn that nothing physical was wrong with my daughter. However, I was ashamed to hear that my daughter was probably having a stress reaction due to school pressure.
I had no idea that my daughter could have a stress reaction that could manifest itself in a physical ailment. However, stress, which is a function of the demands placed on us and our ability to meet them, can affect anyone who feels overwhelmed – even kids. In pre-schoolers, separation from parents can cause stress and anxiety. As kids get older, academic and social pressures (especially from trying to fit in) create stress. According to the American Psychological Association, about 20% of children report worrying a great deal. Unfortunately, parents greatly underestimate their child’s emotions. Only 3% of parents rate their child’s stress as extreme, and while 33% of kids experienced headaches in the month prior to study, just 13% of parents thought these headaches were stress-related. Click here to read the complete article
by Dana Smith Bader, Director, Over The Rainbow Nursery
