Page 22 - ParentsWorld March 2020 flipbuilder

nurturing 21st century children
asK your

counselor

SuE atKinS

COPING WITH EXAM sTREss

My 14-year-old son gets sweaty palms before an is part and parcel of adolescent development. it’s not
exam. the condition became so intense before a unusual for teenage girls to put on up to 7 kg during
recent exam that he soaked through ten tissue puberty. Boys could more than double that weight during
papers. how can i help him? puberty.
— Riyanna Kapoor, Mumbai however, your daughter’s sudden weight gain could
Medically, the condition of excessively sweaty palms is be linked to a sedentary lifestyle during the study
known as palmar hyperhidrosis. it can be caused by holidays. therefore…
emotional stress and/or the body trying to control its • encourage her to exercise — take a 20-minute walk,
temperature (thermoregulation). When excited, scared, jog or run.
or nervous, a specific type of sweat gland from our fight • Appreciate her special attributes and build up her self-
or flight (sympathetic) nervous system is stimulated. the esteem.
stress your son experiences before an exam makes him • discuss the benefits of healthy eating, drinking
sweat profusely. here are some useful tips to alleviate this adequate water and physical exercise.
condition: • encourage her to maintain a food diary to record diet
• Make sure he has a well-balanced diet. this is vital for changes.
your child’s good health during the exams period. • exams are stressful so help her relax and unwind in
• ensure he gets adequate sleep. A good night’s rest ways that don’t involve bingeing — such as listening to
improves thinking and concentration. Adolescents need music and playing sports and games.
an average eight-ten hours of sleep every night.
• Be flexible during exams. When he is studying and My three-year-old son hates preschool. i feel guilty
revising lessons, don’t fuss about undone chores such as about leaving a crying child in playschool. Please
untidy bedrooms and wardrobes. advise
• reassure your son. let him know that you love him — Vineeta Kumar, Bangalore
unconditionally, regardless of his exam scores. remind your child’s anxiety is the perfectly normal reaction of
him that it’s normal to feel anxious before an exam. preschoolers as they have absolutely no idea what to
• listen to your son, support him and avoid criticism. expect in a new environment outside of home. Please…
let him know that failure is not the end of the world • Focus on telling him about the enjoyable activities of
and exams can be written again. preschool — the new games he will play and the new
• encourage him to drink plenty of water throughout the friends he will make.
day and remain hydrated. • it will take several weeks before he eases into his new
• On exam day, wash hands in cold water, avoiding environment. So give him time to adjust gently and
soap, as it dries skin and induces sweat. slowly.
• give him a cotton handkerchief to wipe his hands • reassure him that you will be there to pick him after
when he feels sweaty during the day. school and ensure you are on time to avoid unnecessary
anxiety.
My 15-year-old daughter who is at home for the study • Visit the preschool and meet/talk with his teacher.
holidays to prepare for her class X board exams, has • Set up play dates with some of his classmates.
suddenly put on considerable weight. now she is
embarrassed about her weight. Please advise. (Sue atkins is a uK-based internationally recognised parenting
— Sreepa Nair, Kozhikode expert, broadcaster, speaker and author of Parenting Made Easy
Pre-pubertal weight gain and pudgy physical appearance — how to raise happy children (2012))

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