Child psychologists have started a pilot program in Winnipeg schools to help children deal with stress.

Child psychologist Steven Feldgaier is using a program called "Friends" -- a child program started in Australian schools -- to teach kids how to walk through their problems, tackle life's stresses in small steps -- and relax.

For example, "you can go to a quiet room and relax where no one can bug you," he told one class.

The Friends program is slowly making its way through schools in Winnipeg, as well as a school in Vancouver.

In today's hectic, fast-paced world, more and more people are feeling overwhelmed. But experts say stress is no longer just an adult problem, but one affecting children as well.

Children as young as five years old are falling victim to stress.

"In my opinion kids are more stressed out then they were 15 years ago," school counsellor Lise Denis told CTV News. "Because they are exposed to more, they live more hectic lives."

Psychologists say between 10 to 15 per cent of young children are so stressed out that their ability to learn is affected.

Stress can affect kids the same way physically as it affects adults.

"I feel like I have butterflies in my stomach and I get a really big headache and I get really sweaty," said one youngster.

At school, kid's worries generally centre around the big test, meeting new friends, or fear of speaking in front of the class.

But at home, some children must cope with the burdens of divorce or a death in the family.

"Sometimes just being nervous before something big like a hockey game," said one youngster.

Feldgaier hopes the program will be absorbed into the curriculum. "We see the importance of this as a preventative measure," he said. "We know as kids get older the rates of anxiety go up. We see in teens, and then in adulthood, there are significant mental health concerns."

The lessons are paying dividends for some kids. "I learned that you cant always be mad at your self and how to cope with your problems," said one.

The friends program hopes to expand next year into other school divisions and possibly other cities.

With a report from CTV's Jill Macyshon