Jane Doe
On average stress is generally a topic that is common to adults; however, children experience stress as well. The stress children experience range from traumatic incidents to basic behavioral issues that create additional challenges in life. Stress is unhealthy for adults, and equally as debilitating to children. Stress in children actually concerns due to the interference it can have on cognitive and developmental abilities. The stress that children face could have long-term repercussions on the entirety of their lives, which makes it incredibly important to manage. Parents, teachers, and doctors who interact with children experiencing high levels of stress must understand how to help guide these children towards a healthier outlook and experience of life. Unfortunately, not all situations and conditions that present stress in the lives of children are easy to manage. Some scenarios require professional help in the form of therapy to address the issues the child faces. The following paper will examine the various reasons, symptoms, and treatment options for stress in children.
Catalyst for Stress
Researchers have found that there are a slew of reasons that children fall prey to stress or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Some of these reasons are things that occur that are unplanned and accidental, while others are a result of neglectful parenting. There are several reasons for stress in children that are important to become aware of so that they can be minimized or avoided entirely. Needless to say, some are avoidable, while others are purely accidental and unplanned for.
One of the preventable stressors that parents can help avoid for children is the exposure to television violence or scary scenes that may be followed up by a real life death of someone close to the child (Kousha & Tehrani, 2013). According to Kousha & Tehrani (2013), exposure to violent of fearful television viewing can actually be quite traumatic for children. Avoiding questionable television viewing and avoiding exposure to death through attendance of a funeral is low magnitude stressors that parents can help children avoid (Kousha & Tehrani, 2013). Keeping parents informed of such low level PTSD inducing incidents could easily prepare parents to protect their children from stressor that are unnecessary for the child to be exposed to.
Many of the studies done on early life stressor for children tend to focus on abuse, neglect, exposure to natural disasters, car accidents, witnessing violent crimes and severe illness (Kousha & Tehrani, 2013). Children who are abused physically, sexually, or emotionally by parents are left with a degree of trauma that interrupts the normal cycle of events that help balance a child’s ability to manage stress. These children are being forced to accept and live with a sense of insecurity that would be bad for anyone. For example, if the child lives with an alcoholic parent with a bad temper, he or she is never sure when the parent will respond with aggressive behavior towards the child, leaving the child in a constant state of apprehensiveness, anxiety, and stress.
Other events that parents cannot control are unfortunate events such as natural disasters, car accidents, witnessing a violent crime and observing or being the victim of severe illness could also be a strong catalyst for stress (Kousha & Tehrani, 2013). Natural disasters are an unpredictable scenario that parents cannot avoid from happening. The unexpected powerful wrath of a natural disaster is out of anyone’s control and when something like an earthquake, hurricane, or tornado occurs, the child could be fearful of something that is so powerful that their parents cannot protect them from.
A car accident is another traumatic event that parents are not always able to prevent. When an accident occurs that child is shaken up by the sound and injuries that are the result of the crash, which can lead to PTSD. Many children are even exposed to the loss of a family member during car accidents, which is incredibly traumatic for any individual at any age. This trauma is even more harmful to a young child who cannot fully comprehend the situation the way that a mature adult can.
Lastly, there are serious illnesses of the child or a loved one that can create upset for the child leading to sever stress or PTSD. If a child has been diagnosed with a terminal illness and is receiving invasive medical care, this could create out of the ordinary levels of stress that are much too difficult to cope with. The same can be said of watching the decline of health in the parents or family member. Anything unnatural to how life is “supposed-to go” can be disturbing to the child’s sense of security resulting in stress that may even lead to PTSD.
In certain situations, the child’s temperament is responsible for his or her inability to cope with difficult or stressful situations. Temperament characteristics commonly viewed as more difficult, including negative quality of mood, poor adaptability to change, low approach, irregularity (unpredictability) of behavior, and high intensity of reaction, have been associated with the development of adjustment problems, learning difficulties, and psychopathology (Barron & Earls, 1984; Cameron, 1978; Kyrios & Prior, 1990; Lerner & Lerner, 1983; Masten & Garmezy, 1985; Rutter, 1983; Skarpness & Carson, 1987; Thomas & Chess, 1977, 1984; Wertlieb et al., 1988; Carson & Bittner, 1994 ). The children who have many of these characteristics are also much more vulnerable to life stressors (Carson & Bittner, 1994).
Based on the Stress Impact Scale (SIS), events or conditions at home, school, or in the community could bring forth stressful situations in children (Carson & Bittner, 1994). “There are events involving academic performance (e.g., bad grade on a test or report card); behavior at school and disciplinary action (e.g., fighting, being caught cheating and sent to principal); social isolation or rejection from peers; problems with adults (e.g., with a teacher, or with parents who are separated or divorced); mobility (e.g., having to move or change schools); and other traumatic life events such as death of specific family members” (Carson & Bittner, 1994). In additions to the listed stressors, basic interactions among parents urging their child to do things he or she refuses to do can create stress, as well as having a personal item stolen or image issues in how they feel about themselves (Carson & Bittner, 1994).
Symptoms of Stress
Now that the reasons for stress have been discussed, it is time to examine the symptoms that children with stress or PTSD experience. Understanding or recognizing the symptoms is helpful to adults in the child’s life who can intercept through recognition of symptoms. Catching signs of stress in the child earlier will help minimize the damaging effects by obtaining treatment at an earlier onset of symptoms, which will help decrease the troubles the child will face in his or her life. According to the JAMA Pediatrics journal, there are several common symptoms that can be found among children experiencing stress, such as repetitive thoughts of the incident, avoiding situations and people in life that are a reminder of the incident causing stress, difficulty concentrating, an exaggerated startle response, and unusual excessive mood changes (Moreno, 2013).
Often times, these symptoms continue to become worse as they go ignored or undealt with. In cases of car accidents, a higher level of guilt in children was found, which induced many of the problems mentioned (Haag, Zehnder & Landolt, 2015). Often times the guilt that is experienced in traumatic events like car accidents, natural disaster or any of the overwhelming scenarios, are capable of leading to PTSD. If caught early enough, parents or guardians may be able to prevent the child from the serious conditions of PTSD, which is more challenging to treat. When symptoms of stress go ignored or unnoticed, they tend to evolve into comorbidity with PTSD, including ADHD, depression, and anxiety (Kousha & Tehrani, 2013).
Serious problems are associated with the outcome of stress or PTSD in youth that is damaging to their long term development. “There are some studies about negative neurobiological sequels associated with a history of early trauma or stress, early in development, for example, reduced medial and posterior corpus callosum areas of brain” (Kousha & Tehrani, 2013). When children are exposed to stress, the effects interrupt the natural process of development that cannot be easily fixed. There are some things in life that is set in place during youth, and when stress is presented, the focus is no longer on the aspects of life that is normal for a child growing up. Instead, the stress disturbs the expected progress of a child’s development, while taking away from the normal growth process. For example, the seven year old child who has lost a parent as a result of a car accident is not going to be able to prioritize on the normal activities of children of the same age. The child who has lost his or her parent is going to be troubled at school, emotionally distraught, and so many other problems that would arise in the child who has lost a parent in such a traumatic ways.
Many of the developmental problems that could occur as a result of excessive stress can alter the course of the child’s life in a ways that cannot be fixed without treatment. Conditions like ADHD, depression, and anxiety can be extremely disruptive to any individual or any age. The younger the individual the more invasive it is to his or her life and the progress that will be hindered as a result. Accidents, natural disasters, and other such problems cannot always be avoided, but awareness of the symptoms and their effects can help encourage the adults in a child’s life to pursue treatment options to minimize the damage.
Treatment Options
Considering many unfortunate events in life cannot be predicted or prevented, it is important to understand that treatment is available for children under extreme stress or PTSD. With the help of treatment, the damage done to the child can be minimized or reversed, allowing him or her to lead as normal of a life as possible. Giving children this opportunity is crucial to their long-term well-being. It is not just basic stress, which is normal in everyone’s life and even beneficial to a certain degree that is to be treated. It is traumatic stress that has extremely harmful effects that need a treatment option to help the child overcome the problems associated with stress and PTSD. When searching for an appropriate method of treatment for a child who suffers from extreme stress, it is important to use evidence based interventions to ensure clear “guidelines about what treatment components are necessary and help determine treatment efficacy” (Carrion, & Kletter, 2012).
The first method of treatment shown to be useful in treatment is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT often includes one-on-one sessions as well as sessions that include the parents in the therapy (Carrion, & Kletter, 2012). It has been found to truly minimize symptoms of PTSD in many of the children that have been studied. The CBT treatment options can be available through school or other community services and consist of 10 sessions shown to improve psychosocial functions in kids who have been exposed to stressful trauma (Carrion, & Kletter, 2012).
Another useful option for treatment for children is done through psychodynamic therapy call Child-parent psychotherapy (CPP). This type of therapy involves playing and other expressive modes of therapy. “Parent-child interaction therapy has also been found to improve social, emotional, and behavioral functioning through play therapy and live coaching aimed at improving attachment” (Carrion, & Kletter, 2012, p. 23). Psychoeducation is another method of treatment that involved child-centered play therapy (CCPT), which has shown great results in young children exposed to trauma (Carrion, & Kletter, 2012). An example of this type of therapy would involve the use of toys to re-enact the traumatic event to help sort out the feelings that the child experiences as a result with the help of a trained therapist (Carrion, & Kletter, 2012). Other methods of treatment are available that are not covered in the paper, but whatever method selected is better than nothing. Ignoring the signs and symptoms of stress is the worst thing to do when a child is experiencing stress.
Conclusion
Stress is a problem no matter the age of the individual. However, it is extremely challenging for children who are much more vulnerable to the negative outcomes that exist when stress has become excessive in their lives. PTSD is a condition that most people associate with veterans, but it is a condition that can develop in children as well who has gone through the stress that they can no longer cope with. Understanding the causes of stress, the symptoms of stress, and the treatment options of stress in children is important to recognize in minimizing the impact of stress in young people
References
Carrion, V. G., M.D., & Kletter, H., PhD. (2012). Treatment of traumatic stress disorder in
children and adolescents. Psychiatric Times, 29(12), 22-24. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1269449654?accountid=458
Carson, D. K., & Bittner, M. T. (1994). Temperament and school-aged children's coping abilities
and responses to stress. The Journal of Genetic Psychology,155(3), 289-302. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/228571421?accountid=458
Haag, A., Zehnder, D., & Landolt, M. A. (2015). Guilt is associated with acute stress symptoms
in children after road traffic accidents. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 6 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/ejpt.v6.29074
Kousha, M., & Tehrani, S. M. (2013). Normative life events and PTSD in children: How
easy stress can affect children's brain. Acta Medica Iranica, 51(1), 47-51. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1340445904?accountid=458
Moreno, M. A. (2013). Posttraumatic stress in children. JAMA Pediatrics, 167(12), 1176.
doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2013.4238
