Page 9 - PeaceHealth-OregonRegion

Kids may be small, but their problems can be big—especially when seen from their vantage point. They can feel pressure from friends, coaches, parents and teachers. They may worry about their bodies, their popularity or their grades.

They can feel the whole range of adult emotions, from guilt and anger to loneliness, fear, pain and frustration. Symptoms of stress in their lives are often the same ones adults have, including loss of sleep or appetite, depression, problems in school, and changes in behavior. Grown-up problems can trickle down to kids too. Arguments, divorces, job losses, moving, illnesses and deaths take their toll on everyone, including the youngest members of a family.

“What I see on a daily basis is kids having problems because the parents aren’t dealing with their own problems,” says John Dunphy, MD, Chief of Pediatrics with PeaceHealth Medical Group in Eugene. “You hear parents say, ‘My kid’s stressed,’ but the parents are over-the-top

at Sacred Heart at RiverBend, estimates that more than half of his patients report they have serious and frequent emotional stress in their lives. “There’s no question that in some people with underlying heart problems, stress can trigger an acute episode,” Dr. Padgett says. “In fact, severe emotional stress has been associated with heart attacks, even in the absence of established blockages in the heart. The arteries have been noted to spasm to such a degree as to result in complete occlusions.” Medical evidence also suggests that emotional stress can contribute to the onset and severity of chronic heart disease, he adds. In one APA poll, one-third of people in the United States reported experiencing extreme levels of stress. That kind of stress can affect the entire body, from the heart to the brain and nerves, the skin, muscles, joints, stomach and intestines.

According to Mental Health America (MHA), stress can:

Children get stressed, too

■  Lower your immune system’s ability to fght or recover from an illness.

■  Affect your relationships at home and hinder your ability to work.

■  Raise your risk of depression, heart disease, diabetes and high cholesterol.

■  Affect your sleep, concentration and memory.

Take care of yourself

Don’t ignore your body’s signs that you’re under too much stress.

To help ease your stress, take a good look at how you’re coping. For instance, skipping meals, eating too much or staying up late won’t help. But listening to relaxing music or writing in a journal may, according to MHA. Other suggestions from MHA on keeping stress at manageable levels:

Exercise. It helps relieve tense muscles, improve mood and sleep, and increase energy and strength. It can also help ease symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Live well. Eat healthy foods; drink plenty of water; take regular vacations or breaks from work; enjoy a hobby; or seek relaxing activities, such as reading a book.

Connect with others. Spending time with positive, loving people can reduce your stress and improve your mood. Talking to a trusted friend, family member, support group or counselor may help.

Rest. Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep a night. Sleep restores the body and the mind.

Help others. Reaching out may build a stronger social network for you, improve your self-esteem, and lay a foundation of purpose and achievement in your life.

Mind the self-talk. Try not to put yourself down or engage in other negative self-talk. Instead, encourage the positive. For at least a week, write down three good things that happen to you each day. Thinking about good things—and saying “thank you” for them—can help you feel happier and less stressed.

stressed out with their own stuff.” Though it’s tempting for parents to try to shield their children from worries and problems, it’s better to keep them in the loop, Dr. Dunphy says.

“There’s this fear about letting them know, but you can’t hide it,” he says. “Kids know it; they’re very intuitive. They need to know what’s going on in the family and how you’re moving forward.”

One of the best means for keeping those lines of communication open is the simple-yet-elusive practice of sharing meals, Dr. Dunphy says.

“Sit down, eat together and talk about what’s going on,” he advises.

Besides frst addressing their own troubles, one of the most important things parents can do is help their children learn to help themselves. The goal is to build the resiliency skills that children need today and for the rest of their lives.

Every child is different. Age and temperament affect their reactions and their ability to handle stress. But these 10 tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics and other experts are a good place for parents to start:

1. Listen closely to what your children tell you

about their lives and concerns, even if those concerns seem trivial to an adult.

2. Help them by role-playing or brainstorming ways to handle a tough situation or conversation.

3. Support their involvement in sports and healthy social activities.

4. Encourage them to eat healthy foods and develop healthy friendships. 5. Help them break down problems, homework and chores into small, easy-to-tackle tasks.

6. Show them how to make lists, which can help them focus and accomplish their goals. 7. Help them sort out which problems can be dealt with and which are beyond their control.

8. Watch for overloading and overscheduling in their lives.

9. Encourage them to ask for help when they need it—just as you do.

10. Be a good role model for healthy behaviors and stress-management techniques. “That’s really the punch line,” Dr. Dunphy says.

For more information about how to help your children manage their stress, visit www.peacehealth.org/pediatrics and click the "Health Connection" link.

www.peacehealth.org 9