What Are the Symptoms of Stress in Children?

Stress in children may be caused by family problems at home, academic and peer pressure, certain medical conditions and personality factors such as high self-expectations. The symptoms of stress in your child are treatable with changes at home and medical treatment, and symptoms may develop slowly over time or suddenly, depending on the cause. According to the Mayo Clinic and the American Academy of Pediatrics, the symptoms of stress in children include mood and behavioral changes.

Pain

• Your child may complain of frequent pains such as headaches, stomachaches or other aches throughout the body, which may be caused by stress and can result in frequent absences from school.

Withdrawal

• Stress may cause your child to withdraw from participation in family, sports and school activities and can result in a poor academic or athletic performance.

Mood Changes

• Mood changes such as irritability, becoming easily frustrated, angry or bored or disobeying parental and teacher instructions are symptoms of stress in children.

Physical Changes

• An otherwise unexplained gain or loss of weight, a return to bed-wetting and picking at skin or pulling hair are physical changes in children that may be caused by stress.

Considerations

• The symptoms of stress in your child may not be obvious, and you may not recognize them as being a serious condition. If left unresolved, stress can lead to serious health complications.

Prevention/Solution

• If you begin to notice symptoms of stress in your child, talking with your child, school administrators and professional counselors may help your child manage the symptoms of stress in a productive way.