5 Ways to Understand Childhood Stress

Stress Can Become a Serious Problem

For adults and children, stress is linked to the body's natural fight or flight response. When your child is scared or experiences a traumatic event, he encounters a neurological disruption that causes physical and emotional changes. While stress responses are normal, ongoing stress can interfere with your child's ability to socialize, interact with family, function at school or enjoy himself. If he's a victim of continual ridicule, bullying, abuse or family dysfunction, your child may suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder or other severe psychological conditions.

credit

Childhood Trauma May Cause Physical Symptoms

Stress threatens a child physiologically, and physical symptoms occur as she tries to combat it. Hormone rushes prepare her body for physical effort, pumping blood to her muscles and releasing glucose and fatty acids for energy. As a result, a stressed child often feels her heart rate increase, breathes rapidly and may have a stomach ache, dry mouth, headache or fatigue. Don't dismiss these symptoms. Instead, try to help your child understand what is happening and learn to cope with her physical reaction to emotional stressors.

Stress Responses Are Impacted by Emotional Maturity

While adults are able to understand that most stressful situations won't last forever, children are more likely to believe that these situations are disastrous and that they'll last indefinitely. Remember that the impact of stress on children depends on their ability to understand and cope with situations. As your child is growing up and developing the emotional and psychological tools needed to manage anxiety, keep the lines of communication open. Children who feel loved and supported by family and close friends are more prepared to deal with stress in a positive way.

Personality Affects Stress Management

Individual personality characteristics play a role in how children manage stress. For example, if your child suffers from low self-esteem, a loss of self-control, fear of judgment or introversion tendencies, he may have a tough time coping with stress in a healthy way. On the other hand, children who are more positive, confident and extroverted have an easier time dealing productively with the stressors they face on a daily basis.

The Media and Stress in the Lives of Children

Children, like adults, are overwhelmed with media and advertising propaganda. It is the age of affluenza, when kids are urged to wear designer clothes, carry high-tech cell phones and own high-end gaming systems. To combat this, teach your kids to be media literate, educating them about airbrushed models, advertising ploys and the inability to buy happiness.