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In order to fully comprehend the notion of childhood stress, we must examine the definition and causes of stress. Stress is generally described as a response to the body to demands made on it. Furthermore, the body is thought to be under stress when the demands become threatening to the overall “homeostasis” or equilibrium of the body. Stress has also been described as the physiological and psychological responses of the body to a situation that is perceived as harmful. This alone can tell us that age is not relevant to stress reactions, since the body is able to respond to threatening situations from the time the nervous system begins to function. It is in fact part of the human’s survival mechanism that the body is able to detect and respond to such stimuli.
Another key point concerning defining stress is in the way the body perceives the threat. Stress responses involve both body and mind. The body responds according to how the mind interprets the stimulus and not to the stimulus itself. Hence the result that some people seem to deal with potentially stressful situations better than others. Or one person may have an indifferent attitude to a situation whereas another may be highly stimulated by that same situation. The perception and interpretation of incoming information depends on each person’s prior knowledge, experiences, culture and up-bringing. The older one gets the more information and experience one has. Therefore a situation will affect people of different ages differently. The demand on the body may be different, and the way the mind interprets it may be different, but the level of the stress could be the same.
What may seem trivial to an adult can be extremely stressful to a child. The obvious stressors- death of a loved one, divorce or separation in the family, change in the environment- are accepted causes of stress in children. Other recognizable factors are pressure to do well in school and anxieties about the transition to adolescence. But there are numerous other factors in a young person’s life that could be perceived as threatening or harmful to them. Physical discomfort, for example, is one. As adults we may be in a better position to adjust our environment to suit our physical needs. Young people are not always at liberty to do that.
The loss of a good friend when a family moves is another situation that the young person may not have the tools to deal with as adults do. Young children may not have the advantage of staying in communication (easy access to long-distance telephoning, e-mail, flying off to visit) that adults have. Adults have several recourses to dealing with financial difficulties. In most cases children in the household do not even understand the financial situation of their parents and feel helpless. They too are affected by inadequate resources such as clothes and food. The attitude of parents is sometimes,”Let me worry about the money. You, the child, should just concentrate on going to school and having friends”. But the child can sense that there is a problem and sometimes not knowing the whole truth is worse.
The school environment places demands on children from the moment they enter to the time they leave college. Not only are there academic strains (to pass exams, to get along with teachers, constant threat of punishment), but also social strains (competitions of all types, peer pressure, making friends, issues of drugs and sex). Things that may be done for fun may also be cause underlying stress. For example, play or sports might be too competitive, might cause anxieties about not being good enough or not getting picked for the team. Having too many activities, although they may all be enjoyable in and of themselves, may cause worry about time management, commitment and tiredness. These constant strains can pile up. A major crisis occurring in the young child’s life may not be the only cause of stress.
Any and all of these factors in a child’s life, from feelings of hunger and discomfort as a baby to social stability for a young adult, can be perceived as too demanding and can cause psychological and physiological reactions in the body. The physiological responses include sweating, stomach and head aches, eating and sleep disorders, bedwetting, increased heart rate and tense muscles. The psychological reactions include emotional outbursts, excessive crying, withdrawal, loss of concentration, and short attention span.
All of these may not only be symptoms of stress, but we would be wise to respond to these indications that our children, too may be suffering from stress. Even though we may think that we have the situation well in hand it may not be totally so to the child. We should not wait to see obvious signs of distress such as failing grades, withdrawal, emotional outbursts before we offer support to the child. We may not be able to identify every issue in a child’s life that is causing anxiety but we can provide overall loving and nurturing environments at all times, especially in the home and at school. We can:
· Show love and give attention
· Provide consistency and stick to routines as much as possible.
· Encourage and praise more than threaten and punish.
· Help the to talk about their feelings and their worries and concerns
· Provide adequate nutrition and help them to get sufficient exercise, rest and relaxation.
· Help them to build supportive friendships and good relationships with family members.
· Help them to set and achieve realistic goals.
Prevention is always better than cure.
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