Adolescence is a stressful time and it's vital to be able to spot when your child isn't coping. Here are a few signs...

• Physical tension. They're jumpy and generally behaving like a coiled spring.
• Difficulty sleeping.
• More colds, sore throats, rashes and other minor infections than usual.
• They're snappy and irritable.

If it's not obvious what's stressing them (for instance exams, bullying, family arguments), try to talk about it. Talk to their teacher too as there may be a problem at school.

If they won't talk about a particular problem, talk generally about stress and reassure them that you think they're doing OK and that you're there to help them, they're not alone.

If you need extra help, your doctor's surgery or library should have details of local counselling for young people.
Sarah Lawson is the author of Coping With Teenagers, Sheldon Press

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- Self-help techniques for teens
- Read in-depth information on stress

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