Help your child beat exam stress

Look out for signs of exam stress. Students who experience examination stress may get irritable, do not sleep well, experience loss of appetite, worry a lot and appear depressed or negative. Headaches and stomach pains can also be stress-related. If you observe any one or more of these symptoms, talk to your child and make him feel more confident about his preparation.

Make sure your child is having a well-balanced and nutritious diet with lots of fresh fruits, vegetables and water. Avoid giving them high-fat, high-sugar and high-caffeine foods and drinks such as cola, sodas, sweets, chocolates, burgers, chips and other such junk food as these food often make children hyperactive, irritable and moody.

Good sleep helps improve thinking and concentration. Students need between six to seven hours' sleep a night. Never ask your child to study all night before an exam. Sleep will benefit your child far more than hours of panicky last-minute preparations.

Make sure your child is physically active. Exercise helps boost energy levels, clears the mind and relieves stress. Walking, cycling, swimming, football and dancing are all effective.

Help your child to revise by making sure they have somewhere comfortable to study. Help them draw up a revision schedule or ask the school for one.

Be reassuring and positive and not over-demanding or pressurizing. Make your child feel confident about himself and don't compare him with other students of his age.

Allow half an hour or so for children to wind down between studying to listen to music, watch TV or sit at the computer.

There are many people who can make your child more worried. Do not let your child meet such people during exams. They may be friends telling him how much or how little they have studied, or some cousin advising him to stay awake all night.

To meet their own as well as your expectations, children often go beyond their limits to study hard. This may not only affect their health, but is also not good for their performance as taking no rest can deplete energy levels.

There may be times when stress can take a severe form. If you observe that your child is experiencing weight loss, falling ill, going into depression, and losing appetite, do not hesitate to meet a counselor.