Helping Your Child Manage Stress and Anxiety

1. Helping Your Child Manage Stress and Anxiety Vicki Hilliard, lsw Debby Rockwood, LISW-S

2. Stress and Children All children experience stress and anxiety at times. Stress and anxiety is expected and normal at certain stages of development: * Infants-preschool age can experience separation anxiety. * Young children have short lived fears (dark, storms…). Stress and anxiety becomes a problem when it begins to interfere with daily activities. Pay attention to changes in your child’s behavior so you can take action to help with your child’s stress.

3. Common Causes of Stress for Children: • New siblings • Moving • Starting school/childcare • Family illness or death • Divorce • New stage of development (adolescence) • Over involvement • Academics • Unfamiliar situations • Change in routine Not all of these stressors will effect every child. Children handle their reactions to stress differently. Some children have natural abilities to cope with stress, while others need guidance and to build healthy coping skills.

4. How Can I Tell If My Child Is Stressed? • Daydreams frequently • Difficulty concentrating • Dull or vacant expression • Aggressive, angry, irritable • Withdraws from others • Becomes more fearful or anxious • Has more headaches, stomach aches, or physical complaints • No energy • Change in appetite • Trouble sleeping • Impulsive behavior or defiance • Losses interest in activities-isolates self • Nervous behaviors-nail biting, stuttering, teeth grinding • Falling grades Some of these symptoms are normal at different stages of development. Pay attention to significant changes in your child’s behavior.

5. REMEMBER… • Some level of stress is normal. Let your child know that all feelings are OK, and encourage them to share their feelings. • Reassure your child that they have the coping skills to handle any situation.