Early years: Physical symptoms that are medically unexplained e.g. soiling, stomach pains

Suggested strategies and links.

Strategies and approaches:

  • Use activities that are stress reducing e.g. games, dance, colouring, gardening, animals, forest school.
  • Keep a log and analyse pattern or trends to identify triggers. Follow setting procedures and speak to the SENCO or safeguarding lead regarding your concerns if issue persists.
  • Liaise with Heath visitor.
  • Remember that pain can affect children in many different ways. Autistic children and those who have social communication differences or who have experienced trauma may experience pain in different ways to people who are neurotypical.

Soiling: Causes for soiling could be due to:

  • Development – exploring the sensation
  • Sensory stimulus – the pupil likes the feel
  • Not toilet trained
  • Abuse

Links

Early Years In Mind – Toileting