Sign #1: Complaint of Mystery Symptoms

Have you noticed that your child or teen has recurring headaches or stomachaches -- often related to school or extracurricular activities? It could be a sign of stress, says Margaret Richards, PhD, a pediatric behavioral health specialist with Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital. “Parents are sometimes under the impression that more is better,” says pediatrician Ellen Rome, MD, head of adolescent medicine at Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital; they don’t immediately realize what health effects hyper-busyness can have on kids. “When the body releases stress hormones, it can increase pain messages the body is sending,” says Dr. Richards. It’s not “in their head” -- the pain is real, and it very well may be a sign of underlying stress or anxiety about the busyness of their lives.