Don’t assume a child who spends a lot of time in the nurse’s office at school is doing it intentionally to get out of class. But it’s important to understand that kids aren’t necessarily inventing their symptoms, and the danger may feel very real to them. Domingues assures children that these symptoms are not harmful - they’re just their emergency system responding to a false alarm. You don’t want to be digesting food at that moment because you’re trying to either flee danger or fight danger.”ĭr. ![]() For instance, she says, “your stomach hurts because your digestive system is shutting down to send blood to other areas of your body. When she talks to kids about anxious headaches or stomach aches, she explains the role of each. All of them have a purpose, notes Janine Domingues, PhD, a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute. In fact anxiety is associated with a host of physical symptoms, including headaches, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, along with a racing heart, shakiness or sweating - symptoms older people experience when they’re having a panic attack.Īll these physical symptoms are related to the fight-or-flight response triggered when the brain detects danger. The therapist will likely use cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help your child identify their anxiety and learn skills to reduce it. If your child’s anxiety makes daily life hard, they might have an anxiety disorder. It’s your emergency system responding to a false alarm.” This lets them know that what they’re feeling is normal and gives them a sense of control.Įventually, they’ll be able to say, “My stomach hurts and I remember that’s because I’m feeling worried.” Helping them practice getting through the anxiety is more helpful than letting them avoid the things they feel anxious about. You might say, “Your stomach hurts because your brain is saying something dangerous is happening. If there’s no medical cause, let your child know their body is reacting to what they’re feeling. ![]() The first step to helping your child is to check with your doctor to make sure there’s no medical reason for their pain. ![]() A headache or stomach pain can happen when the child’s body reacts to something the child feels is dangerous or scary. Kids with anxiety aren’t inventing these symptoms or trying to get out of things. Kids who feel this way may not know they’re anxious. For example, kids with anxiety might get stomach pain or a headache before going to school or a birthday party. All kids get headaches or stomachaches sometimes, but when it happens often, they might have anxiety.
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