Does your little one constantly come down with a cold or flu-like symptoms? Maybe, your child has painful stomach aches on a daily basis. Or, they may experience debilitating headaches and you cannot pinpoint the trigger for it. These signs are commonly referred to as somatic symptoms, and often mask a deeper-rooted concern that is occurring beneath the surface. Anxious children often present with physical, somatic symptoms because their body is trying to communicate with them. Fortunately, therapy for children with somatic anxiety can help you as a concerned parent and your child to recognize triggers, learn preventive measures, and develop coping skills to alleviate painful, somatic symptoms.
As a parent, you may feel increasingly frustrated that you do not know what the root cause of your child’s somatic symptoms are. Maybe you try to model and teach self-soothing techniques. Or, you comfort them when they are in distress. Your child may experience heightened anxiety one week, and be completely fine the next week. You keep trying your hardest to alleviate their discomfort and worry, however, nothing seems to work and the anxiety and somatic symptoms keep returning without any reason why. You are finding that you are running out of coping ideas and are in need of support.
Anxiety shows up in children in a variety of ways. Somatic symptoms are one of the most common tell-tale signs that your child feels anxious but does not know how to communicate it. Because anxiety occurs within the body and causes a physiological response, it is understandable that it often manifests in physical behaviors and signs of illness or pain.
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How Do I Know If My Child is Anxious?
In addition to physical manifestations, anxious children may have difficulty falling and staying asleep at night. They do not feel tired and have trouble calming their body and mind down. Maybe, your child wakes up with nightmares or refuses to sleep alone. Sleeping in bed with you may be the only way they can relax.
Anxious children may express fear or excessive worries about specific topics such as death or getting sick. They may be scared that if mom or dad leave the house, they are going to get seriously injured or there is a possibility that they could die. Heightened stress about death and illness can be extremely overwhelming for a young child.
A child with anxiety may also struggle in social situations. When meeting new people, they may hide behind you or feel embarrassed. They may wish to stay in the comfort of your home as opposed to going to school, dance class, or soccer practice. Additionally, there may be separation anxiety that goes alongside
Anxiety in children can also lead to problems around eating. Consuming food may exacerbate stomach pains in an anxious child, so they might avoid eating or eat very little. Some children have a serious fear of throwing up, which also prevents them from eating adequate amounts of food. This can lead to nutrient deficiency. Oftentimes, anxiety is co-occurring with eating disorders in children and teens.
Therapy for children with somatic anxiety can help distinguish what is the source of the pain, discomfort, and overwhelming emotions. As stated above, anxiety looks different for every child and can manifest in a variety of ways. A child therapist that specializes in anxiety disorders can help you, as a parent, understand if and why your child is anxious, and how to support them as they grow and flourish.
What is Somatic Anxiety?
Somatic anxiety brings physical symptoms to the surface. This is essentially a child’s way of communicating that they do not feel good inside, and that they need comforting and support.
When understanding how anxiety impacts a child, it is important to remember that the mind and body are connected. If a child is excessively worrying about something or having overwhelming thoughts, these cognitive feelings can be outwardly displayed in physical symptoms and behaviors. For a general rule of thumb when it comes to somatic anxiety, when a child does not feel good inside, you will be able to tell on the outside.
It is equally important to note that anxiety effects each system of the body. This includes the endocrine, musculoskeletal, respiratory, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, nervous, and reproductive system. Anxiety can contribute to chronic pain disorders and even cause illness.
Common symptoms of somatic anxiety in children are:
- Stomach aches
- Headaches
- Muscle tension
- Muscle aches or spasms
- Increased heart rate
- Sweating
- Shaking
- Naseau or dizziness
- Hyperventilation
- Hives or skin rashes
- Allergic reactions
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The first step in understanding why your child is experiencing anxiety is finding out where it stems from. There could be a multitude of internal or environmental stressors that are impacting your child. Learning which triggers are at play can allow you to begin to implement preventative measures.
What is Triggering My Child’s Somatic Anxiety?
Oftentimes, common triggers of somatic anxiety are big, recent life changes. This can look like a recent move to a new town or state. Leaving friends and starting at a new school can be worrisome for a child. A newborn sibling in the family can also cause anxiety for a young child. The child may feel worried that they have to compete for mom and dad’s attention now that they have a new baby in the family. A divorce, or a parent entering into a new romantic relationship can also cause a child to feel anxious.
High-conflict fights that occur between parents can cause a child to feel constant anxiety. The child may not feel safe in their home due to the stressful environment, which leads them to feel that they are walking on eggshells. If you and your spouse fight often, your child may show signs of anxiety such as an unusually high heart rate, skin or hair picking, aches and pains in the body, or agitation and tearfulness.
A death in the family can cause a child to be overridden with anxiety. This can be the death of a beloved pet, a grandparent, a parent, or sibling. Grief in children often coincides with anxiety. The child may not understand the concept of death and have trouble processing the event. They may continuously ask what happened to the deceased loved one, and where they went.
Another trigger for anxiety is genetics. If you, as the parent, struggle with anxiety, there is a likelihood that this was passed down to your child as well. Children also model what they see from their caregivers. They sense when you are stressed out and often internalize those feelings as their own anxiety.
School Anxiety Can Cause Stomach and Headaches
Does your child have big emotional outbursts when you drop them off at school? Do they refuse to leave your side? School or social situations may be a trigger for a young child with anxiety. Leaving the safety and comfort of home every morning for school can be distressing. Being at school may also be the only time they are forced to be more independent and navigate life on their own. Not having mom there to help them can be scary for a young child. If this is the case, it is common for the child to go to the nurses office and complain of stomach aches.
Somatic Anxiety in Children Can Interfere with Daily Functioning
Physical anxiety can be detrimental to one’s overall health, well-being, and daily functioning. If a child is struggling with stomach aches, they may stay home from school a lot or spend a lot of time in the nurses office, missing important class lessons. If they experience nausea or hyperventilation, this can prohibit them from playing outside with friends or engaging in physical activities.
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A child with somatic symptoms may appear fatigued and in pain, so they need to sleep more than the average child. They may wish to stay in bed longer in the morning and not feel energized upon waking. Since they do not feel well, your child may not feel up for activities that they normally enjoy such as playing games, making art, hanging out with friends, going to eat at their favorite restaurant, or receiving special treats.
Somatic symptoms such as nausea and stomach pains can also lead to eating disorders in children. Your child may develop picky eating habits and only eat specific foods. Or, they may avoid eating and consume very little due to the fear of feeling sick after. This can lead to severe nutrient deficiencies and even weight loss. Restrictive eating can also contribute to feeling depleted of energy and essentially reinforces the physical symptoms of anxiety.
Because somatic symptoms can be debilitating, it is important to receive support early on. Therapy for children with somatic anxiety is an effective way to start.
Tips to Soothe an Anxious Body
Fortunately, there are ways you can soothe your child’s aches and pains and teach them how to calm their body. First, start by addressing your child’s daily routine to narrow down triggers. If your child has stomach aches in the morning, they may be anxious about going to school. Learning when the symptoms arise can help you begin to prevent them from occurring at all.
You can also teach your child breathing techniques, such as deep belly breathing. Have them lay down flat on their back on a comfortable surface and place one or both hands on top of their belly. Encourage them to inhale deeply through the nose, and then exhale deeply through the mouth.
Muscle relaxation activities can help your child become more in tune with their body. Leading your child through a guided body scan can help them recognize and release tension and aches within their muscles. Stretching can also lengthen muscles and promote relaxation. You can use a yoga mat or towel on the ground and put on some calming music in the background. You can even follow a guided yoga video on YouTube.
Make a lavender rice pillow with your little one as a craft night. Gather some fabric and sew rice and lavender inside. The pillow can be heated up in the microwave and placed on your child’s stomach, neck, shoulders, or over the eyes and forehead to alleviate pain.
Diet is Important for Children with Gastrointestinal Related Anxiety
The gut can be largely impacted by stress and anxiety. Diet, therefore is a fundamental component of managing anxiety in children.
An anxious, hyperactive, or restless child should avoid a diet high in sugar and caffeine. Processed snacks only make an anxious child’s symptoms worse. Opt for more nutritional snacks such as apples and peanut butter, raisins, fresh fruit, sugar-free yogurt, or trail mix.
Children should also consume three meals a day. Each meal should consist of healthy fats, protein, and complex carbohydrates. Breakfast, for example, might include a hard boiled egg, fresh strawberries, and a side of sugar-free oatmeal.
Therapy for Children with Somatic Anxiety
Somatic anxiety can feel like a dead-end. As a parent, you may have exhausted all of your options and do not know where to go from here. You are at a loss for coping skills and are in dire-need of support for your little one.
Therapy for children with somatic anxiety and physical symptoms of anxiety can help support you and your family. A child therapist can help pinpoint what is triggering your child’s anxiety, and can teach you as the parent ways to support your child’s needs. Your therapist can also teach your child effective self-regulation strategies and coping skills to manage their worries and fears.
Child-centered play and art therapies provide a nurturing, creative outlet for children to release their inner frustrations in healthy ways. At Wisdom Within Counseling, we provide expressive therapies for children with anxiety. Some of our approaches include clay, water color, finger painting, chalk, puppets, books, beads, vision boards, sensory toys, and a variety of playful, hands-on activities to support your child.
Click the button below to get started in child anxiety therapy at Wisdom Within Counseling.
Wisdom Within Counseling provides in-person sessions to Connecticut residents. We also offer virtual sessions to out-of-state residents. Our team would love to support you and your child as they overcome intense emotional and physical pains, and conquer their anxiety.
