WHEN SYMPTOMS GET IN THE WAY

Rebecca S. Blakeman, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist

Adolescent Child Specialty Services

404-310-1161

Whether your child has been diagnosed with a chronic illness, or no medical cause can be found for your child's symptoms, the impact of his/her symptoms can be life altering.  When your child is in pain or frequently becomes ill, it is difficult to maintain a sense of normalcy.  Our goal at Adolescent Child Specialty Services is to help you restore a sense of 'normalcy' to your family, even in the midst of the medical symptoms your child is experiencing.

How Symptoms Affect Daily Life

• School Absences
• Withdrawal from Sports/Extracurricular Activities
• Avoidance of Social Activities
• Limited Participation in Family Activities
• Family Conflict
• Absences from Work
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Feelings of Hopelessness and Helplessness

The Role of Anxiety and Other Emotions

Many physical symptoms (e.g., headaches, stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhea, etc.) often create anxiety in the individual suffering with the symptoms.  "Will I get sick today?"  "What if I need to leave the classroom immediately?"  "What will the coach say if I have to miss another practice?"  "What if I can't get to the bathroom?"  "What if no one believes that I'm sick?"  These thoughts are a normal extension of the physical symptoms...yet these very thoughts lead to an increase in anxiety, which then leads to an increase in the physical symptom.  Whether someone suffers with headaches, abdominal pain, diarrhea, or other physical symptoms, anxiety and stress can make the symptoms worse.  That does NOT mean the symptoms are in the child's "head" or are not real.  The symptoms are very real, and reducing anxiety and stress can be a very real way of reducing the symptoms.  Children and adolescents who learn effective strategies for coping with anxiety and stress become empowered to take more control not only of their condition, but of their life.  These are skills that will benefit your child for a lifetime. 

The Role of Therapy

Therapy can be very beneficial in helping youth to cope with, and reduce, chronic symptoms.  Key components of treatment are likely to include:

• Relaxation
• Positive Imagery
• Anxiety Reduction Techniques
• Practical Problem Solving
• Family Support and Education

Relaxation and positive imagery are two techniques for helping youth reduce stress and gain control over their bodies in such a way to make pain more manageable.  Other anxiety reduction techniques target thoughts that are associated with increased anxiety, and essentially increased symptoms.  The goal is to teach the child to better manage his thoughts in an effort to reduce symptoms that are triggered by anxiety.  Practical problem solving often involves working with school personnel to identify effective, practical, acceptable strategies for managing and reducing symptoms in the school setting.  Family support and education offers parents insight into how to help children and adolescents better manage their symptoms within the family context.

If your child is suffering chronic symptoms, call 404-310-1161 for a consultation to determine if therapy may be of benefit in reducing those symptoms.