As adults, we usually look back at our childhood through rose-tinted glasses, nostalgically wishing we could return to those days of games, candy and fun. But Thea Dimech from the Malta Medical Students’ Association finds that, as time passes, children are continually being exposed to an increasingly stressful environment.

As children struggle to identify feelings of stress, they may misinterpret it as feeling ill.

Stress in children is quickly becoming a ‘modern epidemic’. It is no longer the problem of a few children, but a common child­hood and adoloscent ailment.

Proper education and awareness has, therefore, become a must if this problem is to be addressed.

What causes stress in children?

Some of the most common causes of stress in children are bullying, lack of friends, lack of attention, lack of authority and, more commonly (although not limited to), adoloscence, parental divorce and friendship problems.

Stress in children may be precipitated or amplified by many different factors. An overly busy schedule may be a source of stress and it is, therefore, essential that children are allowed to play and have fun in a context they feel is relaxing.

It is important to realise when a child is suffering due to stress, irrespective of whether adults perceive the situation as stressful

This requires communication, willingness to allow the child to try out things by trial and error and an appreciation towards the fact that what is relaxing for one child may not be so for another.

Children may often be bombarded with extra-curricular activities and, while it would be the parents’ best intention to enlist their children in healthy activities, for the child, this might be an added burden.

A child’s stress may also be intensified by emotions projected onto them by other people, for example, arguments between parents. Children may amplify these problems and may misinterpret minimal issues as catastrophic. It is, therefore,important to realise when a child is suffering due to stress, irrespective of whether adults perceive the situation as stressful.

This particular feat of empathy may be somewhat difficult, since children will most likely be unable to identify the emotions associated with stress and, therefore, be unable to vocally express their concerns appropriately.

How do I identify signs of stress in a child?

Stress can masquerade itself in a variety of ways – disruptive behaviour, sleep disturbance, poor school performance, attention problems, low mood and various psychosomatic symptoms – physical symptoms aggravated by a mental factor.

Psychosomatic symptoms may lead to a number of unnecessary investigations that can only serve to perpetuate the symptomatology, unless the underlying cause of stress is recognised and addressed appropriately and as early as possible to avoid unnecessary investigations.

It is important to note that, due to the inability to appropriately identify feelings of stress, children may misinterpret it as feeling ill.

While children will be prone to invent illnesses to get out of unpleasant tasks, in some cases, the stress of a certain situation may genuinely be causing the child to feel ill and, therefore, removing the stress may diminish the symptoms.

How do I deal with a child who is exhibiting signs of stress?

Above all, it is important to listen to children; really listen.

Despite often being led to believe otherwise, children are very perceptive and they will easily pick up if you are really giving them your full attention, or merely making an attempt to listen. Asking follow-up questions will allow them to feel like they can freely express themselves.

Avoid perpetuating your troubles onto a child. Sometimes a child’s cause of stress may trigger concern in an adult. For example, a child may raise concerns to a parent about worrying behaviour perpetrated by other children.

The parent might wish to investigate this further by contacting the person in charge where the children meet, such as a teacher or a day-care worker.

It is, however, advisable that the parent does not express his/her concern fully to the child.

If children realise that a parent or guardian perceives a situation as worrying, they themselves may feel more stressed and may refrain from expressing their feelings the next time so as not to worry the parent.

Investing in oneself

A person’s stress response is often a result of perceptions that exceed the personal inner and social resources to cope with a situation.

Two types of stressors can be caused by external factors, such as pain or fluctuating temperatures, or stressful emotional environments, such as dysfunctional relationships.

Internal stressors are prolonged, tense reactions to a situation. When this happens, a person is unable to mobilise the ability to manage a situation effectively.

As a result, the person experiences disturbances to the body or mind, which can contribute to physical injury, disease, deprivation and emotional imbalance.

Visiting a spa will help you unwind, relax and soothe stressed muscles through various experiences and help you reconnect with yourself.

Myoka spas provide a selection of over 80 specialised treatments including Ayurveda, holistic treatments including reflexology, seashell massage and others.

Yoga and breathing exercises can help you manage your personal stress. If the stress to the musculature is caused by psychological or emotional issues, the treatments recommended in most cases would involve techniques as gentle rocking, jostling and the long strokes of effleurage.

A few hands-on modalities that work well for emotional and psychological stress include Lomi Lomi, Thai massage, Sirodhara and hot stone massage.

Your personal therapist will conduct a one-to-one consultation to understand your needs and suggest the best option for you.