In childhood stress is most commonly associated with changes in a child's life. This stress can be positive such as joining a new team or club, but most of the time stress in childhood is negative and usually triggered by a negative event in a child's life. 

For more information on stress in childhood visit https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002059.htm 

Stress affects each person uniquely. While we may know signs within ourselves and other adults, what about the signs in children? 

According to The Mayo Clinic, there are six signs that can often be associated with stress in children. 

1. Emotional Instability- Children may act out or begin having frequent outburst of emotion when faced with a decision or situation that previously would not be a big deal.  

2. Insomnia or Trouble Sleeping- Children may begin experiencing higher levels of fatigue and have trouble calming their minds down enough to fall asleep. 

3. Withdrawing from Peers- Children who are experiencing stress may begin disassociating from their peers and family. 

4. School Struggles- Students who typically perform well in school may begin falling behind or having struggles that they do not usually have. This can be academic struggles or trouble with peers and teacher. 

5. Frequent illness- Children whom are dealing with stress are often complaining of stomach aches or headaches due to the release of cortisol in their blood. 

6. Increased Defiance- Students who are experiencing may feel out of control and begin to have issues with authority and look for an escape. 

If you want to learn more about the signs associated with children's stress visit https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/stressed-out-kids 

How someone might react to stress is different for every person. Some factors that contribute to this include: 

• Genetics

  • More or less active responses to stress may stem from slight differences in the genes that control the stress response. 

• Life Experiences 

  • Stress reactions can sometimes be traced to traumatic events. People who were abused or neglected as children tend to be at high risk for experiencing high stress. The same is true for front-line workers and people who have experienced violent crime. 

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress/art-20046037