Autumn arrives when trees start dropping leaves, the air gets cooler, and kids go back to school, where learning and stress go hand in hand.
Many of these kids, especially the youngest ones, might start complaining about headaches, stomachaches, or just feeling off. Some of these complaints might be due to the flu, a cold, or some other illness that should be checked by a doctor. But quite a few of these physical issues are more likely a sign of stress rather than an actual sickness.
Parents often face a dilemma in such situations. Some kids are more prone to show their stress through minor physical symptoms that grab their attention. This can be distressing for parents who suspect their child isn’t really sick but still want to make the right call. Just like adults, some children are more likely to focus on physical discomfort and talk about it.
In this article, we’ll explore why some people are more prone to physical discomfort and related worries and discuss what can be done in early childhood to reduce this risk for kids during their school years and beyond.
Symptoms and Anxiety: Which One Should Be More Concerned?
Let’s begin by distinguishing between two types of health anxiety, which were previously called “hypochondriasis.”
Some people become overly focused on specific symptoms and are convinced they have a serious illness. When this obsession with symptoms is so intense that it disrupts daily life, like causing them to miss school or work, it might be categorised as a somatic symptom disorder.
Others experience mild or temporary symptoms, but their anxiety about being sick is more distressing than the actual symptoms. When this situation significantly interferes with their daily life, it could be labelled as an illness anxiety disorder. It’s estimated that illness anxiety disorder affects over 30 per cent of the U.S. population.
What If There’s No Physical Illness? The most effective treatment for both conditions is cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), sometimes combined with anti-anxiety medications for severe anxiety symptoms. CBT helps people identify what triggers their anxiety, reduce their fears, and develop new coping skills.
Unfortunately, only about 30 per cent of those with illness anxiety choose counselling as part of their treatment.
However, the saying “prevention is better than cure” definitely applies to illness anxiety. What better time to prevent a lifetime of anxiety than during childhood?
Factors Contributing to Illness Anxiety Disorder
To understand why some people, especially children, tend to focus on health worries even when their symptoms are minor or nonexistent, consider the following factors:
Interoception sensitivity
In simple terms, interoception refers to being aware of internal bodily states. For most people, this happens automatically as the brain processes signals from the body to ensure its needs are met. For example, if you’re too warm, you naturally remove a layer of clothing.
However, children (and adults) differ in their ability to interpret these bodily signals and understand their meaning. Those with heightened interoception or disrupted interoception might interpret minor physical sensations as distress signals, leading to feelings of fear or anxiety.
A child with acute or disrupted interoception might become more anxious about a minor stomachache compared to a child without these issues.
Seeking care for unmet attention needs
Some children learn that complaining about physical discomfort gets them the attention they crave while expressing emotional needs (like feeling lonely or stressed) doesn’t achieve the same result.
Previous serious illness or injury
Children who have experienced significant illnesses or injuries, either personally or within their family, maybe more vigilant about signs of illness as a result. They might also pay extra attention to their physical health if a caregiver’s health has been seriously threatened.
Parental focus on health concerns
Regardless of their actual health status, having a parent who is overly concerned about physical symptoms can model a high level of bodily vigilance for the child in that household.
Limited ability to express emotions
Childhood is a crucial time for learning how to identify and communicate emotions, a fundamental aspect of emotional intelligence. In my therapy work, I often encounter adults who struggle to pinpoint their emotional states, focusing instead on physical sensations like feeling cold or tense. They may not connect these sensations with the underlying emotion, such as “anxiety,” until they practice mindfulness and emotional awareness.
If a child is feeling anxious but lacks the vocabulary or permission to express it, they might resort to saying their “stomach hurts” or that they simply “don’t feel well.
Prevention Strategies
While we may not have control over all the factors contributing to illness anxiety, there are steps parents can take to reduce the risk of their child experiencing it in the long run.
- Help them identify and express emotions. Encourage children to express their feelings, including distress. Avoid phrases like “You shouldn’t be upset” or “Don’t be sad,” as these rarely help. Instead, respond empathetically with statements like “I understand why you feel that way” or “Tell me more about what’s bothering you.” This approach lays the foundation for children to express their emotions and learn how to cope with them.
- Manage your own health-related worries. Excessive talk about your own health concerns can make your children or grandchildren overly vigilant about their own bodies and signs of illness. Constantly checking the body for signs of illness can be learned and is strongly linked to illness anxiety disorder. If you become preoccupied with physical sensations, those sensations can become more intense and long-lasting.
- Demonstrate trust in healthcare professionals and responsible medical decision-making. If your doctor has ruled out serious illness and recommended counselling to address your anxiety, follow their advice. The worst-case scenario is that your health worries persist, prompting you to seek a second medical opinion. In any case, you’ll have more tools to manage your anxiety, which can also help you cope with life’s uncertainties.
In Conclusion
While some factors contributing to illness anxiety may be innate or related to childhood trauma beyond our control, others can be prevented. By understanding the factors that increase the risk of illness anxiety, parents can take proactive steps to minimize this risk for their children.
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