How Stress Shows Up in Children And How Chiropractic Care Can Help

Dr. Ariel Thorpe, seen here providing pediatric chiropractic care to an infant, is an American trained chiropractor in Tokyo. She provides English language chiropractic care to expat families in Minato-ku.

Adults are familiar with stress: tight shoulders, headaches, fatigue, poor sleep. But what about children?

At Electra Chiropractic, we care for entire families including babies, children, and adolescents. The early years of life are a critical period for nervous system development, and it’s often during these years that stress first begins to shape how the body responds to the world.

The challenge is that children don’t express stress the same way adults do. Instead of saying “I’m overwhelmed,” stress often shows up physically or behaviorally.

Common Signs of Stress in Children

Stress can affect a child’s developing nervous system in many ways. Some common presentations we see include:

Bedwetting (Nocturnal Enuresis)

Bedwetting is sometimes linked to stress or nervous system immaturity. For children, even events that seem small to adults (a fall, a change in routine, emotional tension, or disrupted sleep) can trigger a stress response in the body.

School-Related Stress

Transitions such as starting kindergarten, moving to a new school, or adapting to a new language or culture can be significant stressors. For expat families in Japan, these transitions often happen multiple times and can place extra demands on a child’s nervous system.

Risk-Taking Behaviors in Adolescents

Stress during adolescence may show up as risk-taking or self-soothing behaviors. While these behaviors are complex and multifactorial, research has shown links between stress, nervous system regulation, and emotional resilience, all of which are influenced by early developmental support.

Skin Conditions Such as Eczema

Studies have found associations between childhood eczema and elevated stress levels, including maternal stress during pregnancy. This highlights how early and deeply stress can influence a child’s physiology.

Respiratory Issues Such as Asthma

Childhood asthma has been associated with environmental stressors and parental stress. While chiropractic care does not treat asthma directly, supporting nervous system function may help improve overall resilience and adaptability.

The Role of the Nervous System in Childhood Stress

While these conditions may appear unrelated, chiropractors often observe that children experiencing chronic stress also have restricted spinal movement or misalignments (subluxations) that interfere with optimal nervous system communication.

The nervous system controls how the body adapts to stress physically, emotionally, and chemically. When the spine is moving well and the nervous system is functioning optimally, children’s bodies often show an impressive capacity for self-regulation and healing.

Why Early Support Matters

Addressing stress only after a child is already overwhelmed is not ideal. A proactive approach is far more effective.

In addition to having babies and children gently checked by a qualified chiropractor, it’s important to identify and address the source of stress itself. Some stressors can be removed; others must be managed with the right tools and support.

When a child’s symptoms are linked to parental stress, it becomes even more important for parents to care for their own nervous systems as well.

Practical Ways to Support a Child’s Nervous System

Here are several simple, effective strategies families can use to help children manage stress:

Mindfulness and Present-Moment Awareness

Mindfulness doesn’t have to mean sitting still. For children who struggle with quiet meditation, start with mindful movement or focused activities. Encourage finishing one task before starting another, and ask questions about what they are doing to help anchor attention in the present moment.

Creative Expression

Art, drawing, building, or crafting gives children a non-verbal outlet for expression. Creating a safe space with time and materials allows kids to process emotions they may not yet have words for.

Open and Consistent Communication

Regular family check-ins like shared meals help children feel safe expressing themselves. When this becomes routine early on, children are more likely to communicate openly as they grow.

Reducing Excessive Screen Time

Prolonged screen use places both mechanical stress on the spine and neurological stress on the nervous system. Limiting non-essential screen time helps protect posture, movement patterns, and nervous system development and may reduce the need for more intensive care later in life.

Family-Centered Chiropractic Care in Tokyo

Children are not “small adults.” Their bodies and nervous systems are constantly adapting, growing, and learning.

At Electra Chiropractic, we take a gentle, family-centered approach to care, supporting healthy nervous system function so children can better adapt to the stresses of modern life, especially in an international, fast-paced environment like Tokyo.

Health is not just about treating symptoms. It’s about building resilience from the very beginning.

If your child or teen is struggling, a chiropractic check-up can identify underlying sources of stress in the spine and nervous system. Book in with our Western chiropractor in Tokyo here.