Could over-protecting children from experiencing pain perpetuate the problem?
Pain is not an accu
rate measure of injury but is always an accurate measure of how much protection your nervous system perceives you need.
Anxiously protecting a child from various activities or movements sends the message that they are frequently in danger and need protection. This may trigger their brain to experience pain more easily.
A nervous system that is on high alert, lacks a sense of safety making the brain to be more sensitive to any danger signal, including pain, anxiety or depression.
Anxious parenting leads to having anxious children. It’s not that complicated. Children respond to the environment that they grow up in.
The sad part is that the loving parents may inadvertently be contributing to a child’s sense of danger and persistent pain.