Stress Impact On Children's Eczema

This article talks about helping your child’s symptoms of stress with the help of naturopathy.

Some children are more sensitive than others and need more support in processing their stress and regulating their emotions. Not all stress is a bad thing because life is full of challenges and will continue to challenge your child as they develop. The importance of encouraging a growth mindset early, will help them on their journey.

Starting school, meeting new people, learning new hobbies and developing greater responsibility as they grow will cause a certain amount of positive stress. Though some children are still more sensitive than others and needs more time and support to adapt to the changes of life. It’s often these extra sensitive children with eczema that I see in clinic.

Stress is a known trigger for children with eczema. Stress triggers the release of cortisol through the HPA Axis. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) is the body’s main stress response system.

Stress makes the body perspire which causes a break down of the acid mantle and causes irritation and itching to any lesions (rash) already present.

How To Help Your Child Manage Stress Levels

Firstly, it’s important to note that children deal with stress differently to adults. What an adult finds as relaxing is unlikely to be for a child, though there are some similarities.

Nature The Great Balancer.

Simply spending time outdoors in the elements safely exploring sandpits, gardens, ponds, parks, picnics, puddles and playgrounds is a wonderful way to release stress.

A daily habit of venturing outdoors first thing in the morning or before bed is a wonderful way to reset the body clock and keep the circardian rhythm running optimally.

The exposure to plants, trees, and clean water ways also increases beneficial microorganisms for their developing microbiome.

Building a healthy appreciation of nature whilst young will also help your child grow into an adult who continually returns to natural settings to release any stresses. It’s a valuable lifeskill.

Complementary Therapies

Occupational Therapy offers functional therapy and play based therapy.

Craniosacral Therapy and Shoni-Shin (Japanese needle-less acupuncture) release tight muscles and relax body tissue to help induce a state of relaxation by providing more tone to the parasympathetic nervous system.

Naturopathy can offer some benefits by using safe and effective vibrational therapies such as flower essences or tissue salts to address emotional wellbeing.

Creativity

Story telling, music, dance, singing, art and craft all provide valuable time using the fine motor skills which allows your child to express themselves in creatively and in the moment.

Reading and cooking are also beneficial activities.

Moving Your Body

If that’s through structured activities like sports or walking, bike riding, skate boarding and scooting at parks are an excellent opportunity to build fitness but mostly release tension from the body. If the sport is outdoors where you get a healthy dose of nature- it’s even better.

Some parent’s park further away from school to get a little walk in with their child, which helps the child relax before their day starts.

Quality Time

Spending more quality time with your child, it really doesn’t matter what you do as long as you’re doing it together.

By consciously reducing stress levels in your child who has eczema you will inadvertently help reduce eczema flares also, by reducing the excess production of cortisol which is a known trigger.

This website is dedicated to teaching parents how to help treat their child’s eczema naturally using nutrition and naturopathic principles.

If you are ready to consider treating the root cause of your child’s eczema using naturopathic methods book in your virtual appointment here.

Otherwise, consider getting your child’s free skin report to learn more.

Categories: : Stress Management