Warning Signs of Stress in Kids

Physical or behavioral changes are common signs of stress and anxiety in children. Depending on an individual's age, personality, and coping skills, children react differently to stress, so many parents overlook the underlying issues that may be causing their child's behavior.

In order to recognize and find possible causes of childhood stress, it's important for parents to recognize the signs. Stress and anxiety can normally be managed by parents, but some children may have anxiety disorders and require professional help.

As a result of the COVID-19 health crisis, many things have changed, and kids are aware of those changes. Teenagers and kids experience stress just like adults. Despite the fact that small amounts of stress are a normal part of life, some young people may experience worrisome reactions to interrupted routines, school closures, social withdrawal, event cancellations, and missed milestones.?

In addition to declining academic performance, social isolation, and even mental health declines can occur as a result of retaliating negatively to current events, school stress, or other common stressors. Parental, family and mentor figures are often the first people to recognize signs of stress among children, as well as teach them how to cope.

Stress is experienced by young people like it is by adults. Students' sense of accomplishment can come from a variety of sources, such as doing well in school, forming and maintaining friendships, or managing expectations from parents, teachers, or coaches. A certain amount of stress can be helpful when it comes to tackling a big test, presentation, or athletic event.

However, too much stress can create unnecessary hardship and challenges. Children and teens can sometimes experience overwhelming feelings of stress without adults realizing it. Identifying emotional or behavioral cues will help you identify potential problems and provide guidance and support for your child to get through tough times.

Sources of Stress

We are stressed when we are unable to meet the demands we are placed with. Families, jobs, friends, and schools all place demands on us. The cause can also be internal, relating to our beliefs about what we should do versus what we are able to do.

Anyone who feels overwhelmed can be affected by stress, including children. Children who are separated from their parents may experience anxiety. Students, especially older ones, often experience academic and social pressures (especially in an effort to fit in).

A lot of kids don't have time after school to play creatively or relax. A child who complains about all his or her activities, or does not go to them, might be overscheduled. Discuss extracurricular activities with your children. Consider stopping one activity if the child complains too much. You can help lessen anxiety by helping manage your child's time and responsibilities if stopping isn't an option.

Children's stress may be exacerbated by more than what's going on in their own lives. Are your children aware of your worries at work, concerns about a relative's illness, or arguments with your spouse over financial matters? Children pick up on parents' anxieties and will start to worry themselves when they hear about such topics when their parents are around.

News about the world can cause stress. Children fear their own safety and the safety of the people they love when they see disturbing images on TV or hear about natural disasters, war, and terrorism. Monitor what your children watch on TV so that you can help them understand what is happening. Ask your kids about what they see and hear.

You must also watch out for complicating circumstances, such as an illness, the death of a loved one, or a divorce. Stress is magnified in kids when these factors are coupled with everyday pressures. The most amicable divorce can still be difficult for children due to the fact that their basic security system - their family - is undergoing a great deal of change. Separated or divorced parents shouldn't put their children in a position where they will have to choose sides or hear negative things about the other parent.

Recognize that some things that don't seem important to adults can be very stressful to children. You should acknowledge your kids' feelings and not dismiss them as inappropriate because they're stressed.

Watch for negative changes in behavior

Stress can be difficult to recognize and describe by youth of all ages, but especially younger children.

Stress manifests itself in children by changing their behavior. A few common changes include acting irritable or moody, withdrawing from activities that used to be fun, regularly expressing worries, complaining more than usual about school, crying, displaying unexpected fears, clinging to a parent or teacher, and sleeping too much or too little.

Although teens often trust their peers more, significantly avoiding parents, abandoning long-standing friendships for new ones, or expressing too much hostility toward family members may indicate that the teen is under significant stress. Despite the fact that negative behavior is not always associated with excessive stress, negative behavioral changes are almost always a clear sign of a problem. These behaviors should be addressed by adults in order to determine the appropriate course of action.

Warning Signs and Risk Factors for Children and Teens

The most vulnerable members of society during and after a disaster are often children. The National Child Traumatic Stress Network reports that an increasing body of research has shown that infants are susceptible to trauma that threatens either their safety or the safety of their parents or caregivers.

Children can find disasters emotionally confusing and frightening because they are unfamiliar events that they do not understand well. It is possible that during the turmoil they will be left alone with an unfamiliar person and with limited information. Some warning signs of distress in children ages 6 to 11 include:

●???????Withdrawal from friends and playgroups

●???????Being more competitive for parents' and teachers' attention

●???????Reluctant to leave the house

●???????Not caring as much about schoolwork

●???????Aggressive behavior

●???????Additional conflict with peers or parents

●???????Having trouble concentrating

Teenagers' reactions to disasters depend on how disruptive the event is to their families or communities. Under stress, adolescents between 12 and 18 are likely to complain of physical symptoms or be less interested in schoolwork, chores, or other responsibilities.

In addition to clamoring for attention from parents and teachers after a disaster, some teens may:

●???????Become withdrawn

●???????Resist authority

●???????Become disruptive or aggressive at home or in the classroom

●???????Experiment with high-risk behaviors such as?underage drinking?or?prescription drug misuse and abuse.

Children and teens most at risk for emotional distress include those who:

●???????Survived a previous disaster

●???????Experienced temporary living arrangements, loss of personal property, and parental unemployment in a disaster

●???????Lost a loved one or friend involved in a disaster

For young people to recover from their distress, they simply need time to understand their world as a safe place again and some emotional support. Children and teens react strongly to disasters based on how parents, relatives, teachers, and caregivers respond. Children and teens turn to these people for comfort and help after a disaster. In cases of disaster or other crisis, teachers and other mentors play a particularly important role by reinforcing routines as much as possible, especially if new routines need to be established.

Finally, don't pressurize your child to immediately tell you what's wrong. You may have to wait a while for them to open up to you if they feel scared or anxious. Always be patient and loving with your child, and let them talk freely when they're ready.

Conclusion

The younger the child, the less likely they are to understand why they are stressed. If you can't pinpoint a stressor in your child's home life, speak to their teacher or after-school mentor.

It is not necessary for parents, children, and teens to handle overwhelming stress on their own. A parent may find that it is useful to work with a licensed mental health professional, such as a psychologist, if his or her child or teen exhibits significant symptoms of stress on a regular basis, including those described above. The role of a psychologist is to identify problems and develop effective solutions to resolve overwhelming feelings of stress.