A social-pediatric, practice-oriented physiotherapeutic focus on children and mental health

The number of children with stress and anxiety symptoms has increased dramatically over the past five years. The The Danish Psychiatric Foundation points out that at least 14 percent of all schoolchildren have a mental health condition disorder including OCD, ADHD, anxiety, depression or stress. Besides, children, like never before, are medicated with anti-anxiety and sleeping medication.The child's thoughts, worries and stress levels - whether physical or mental - trigger the sympathetic nervous system, which causes the connective tissue to stick, the brain to shrink, the stomach to hurt and makes it difficult to fall asleep. It is now proven that it occurs through the sympathetic nervous system and the HPA axis. The levels of cortisol, adrenalin, nor-adrenalin, pro-inflammatric and pro-fibrotic cytokines rises. Furthermore the levels of Brain derived neurotrophic factor lowers, and the blood flow is reduced in the frontal lobes and in the stomach.The neurophysiology consequences of poor mental health is fatal for the child. The prerequisites for well-being and learning are affected, and the risk of physical inactivity and depression increases.

Author(s): Pernille Thomsen

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