Apr 17 2010
KIDS HAVE STRESS TOO ……
Amy Smith, MS, Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern
As an Orlando counselor I often meet with children who are experiencing stress and anxiety. Counseling Today, an American Counseling Association publication, in its March 2010 issue addressed the topic of stress and kids.
According to recent data from the American Psychological Association (APA), many parents aren’t aware of what’s keeping their kids up at night- or that they’re up at all. As part of APA’s latest Stress in America research, a study found that children age 8 to17 worry about doing well in school, getting into a good college, and their financial circumstances. Many kids also experience headaches, sleeplessness, and upset stomach as a result of their stress. But the survey revealed that these worries and side effects are largely off of parents’ radar screens. While nearly 20 percent of children reported that they worry a great deal, only 3 percent of parents rated their children’s stress level as extreme.
