Sometimes fears and worries can get so overwhelming, that the body has a physical response to emotional stress. Digestive issues and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) has been linked to emotional distress causing the intestine to cramp and become inflamed. It’s a physical response to the fear, frustration and worry that so many people with digestive issues know so well, myself included.
The first step to helping your child figure this out is to make sure the food she is eating is fresh and natural and easily digestible. Especially if worry is felt most in her stomach and gut. Then, help her make the link between her emotional state and her tummy. When she is anxious how does her tummy feel, when she is confident how does it feel, etc. The more she can notice her own emotions and how they make her body feel, the more she will feel in control of it – rather than it in control of her.
