“Control Back-to-School Anxiety” article by Rick Nauert, Ph.D.
http://psychcentral.com/news/2006/08/07/control-back-to-school-anxiety/
As the new school year approaches most kids, while not exactly looking forward to the structure and academic rigors, are excited with the prospect of renewing friendships and activities. However, some children dread the return to the classroom so much that they develop physical symptoms.
Michelle Kees, Ph.D., a University of Michigan Health System child psychologist discusses the behavior and provides parents with methods to help reduce their children’s anxiety.
Kees observes that anxiety over making new friends, being in a new school, facing bullies, feeling “uncool” or coping with academic pressure can make even a well-adjusted child anxious. And that anxiety or fear can build up in a child’s mind, leading them to act on it in many ways — from tummy aches and sleep problems to out-and-out refusal to go to school.
Fortunately, there’s still time to do something about it. Parents can start now to help kids face their fears and calm their worries, says Kees. Most kids can overcome their fears with the help of a parent, she says. But for children who show signs of anxiety over a longer period, or intense fears, parents shouldn’t hesitate to seek professional help from someone trained to help children and teens with anxiety problems and other mental health issues. As many as 5 percent of children have expressed some sort of prolonged “school refusal,” experts estimate.
Fear of school can also have its roots in other situations — such as stressful home events, learning problems or bullying — that need prompt attention. And serious untreated anxiety in childhood can put a child at risk for problems later in life.
“Going back to school can be a very exciting time for children, or it can be a time of great anxiety, apprehension and uncertainty,” says Kees, a clinical assistant professor of psychiatry, who treats children with anxiety disorders through the U-M Child & Adolescent Psychiatry clinic. “With any change that we experience in our lives, natural emotions such as anxiety can emerge. For children, this becomes more pronounced because every year they have this new experience of returning to school or starting at a new school.”
If kids and parents don’t deal with the anxiety and its causes, Kees says, “it can get out of control very easily. Often times, it’s a vicious cycle where a child will feel anxious about going to school, the parent will feel badly for the child, and allow them to stay home. The next day, it becomes even more difficult for that child to go to school.”
So, no matter what, parents shouldn’t let anxiety keep kids away from school, she says. Talk to school counselors and teachers, and mental health professionals if need be, to figure out what might be done. And most important of all, work hard to talk openly with your child about what’s worrying them, and how they might deal with it.
Depending on your child’s age, different things might be causing them to worry, and different techniques might be able to ease their back-to-school fears, Kees explains. She offers this advice:
Middle school children
Making the transition from a small elementary school to a bigger middle school with different classes and more difficult work can be a big hurdle for some pre-teens. This age also comes with the added issue of meeting new children and facing social pressures about clothes, appearance and other things.
“For parents, recognizing anxiety in middle-school children can sometimes be difficult. This is the age when friends start to become more important than parents in a child’s view, and they may not share their feelings with you,” says Kees. “Possible indicators include coming up with excuses for not riding the bus or staying at planned school activities, or any behavior that involves avoiding going to school.”
Children who withdraw from friends or family, seem sad or less energetic, or just “aren’t themselves” may be experiencing issues about going to school or something more serious such as depression.
“If parents notice a dramatic change in their child’s attitude about school, their level of enjoyment or interest, as well as their performance, this is a red flag that something might be going on that should be addressed,” Kees explains. Parents can start by talking with their child’s teacher or school counselor, and perhaps seek advice from a mental health professional in the community.
When anxiety about school “masks” something else
Kids of any age who don’t want to go to school, or avoid it, may be doing so because of a specific issue beyond general anxiety, worry or depression, Kees notes.
“Children who are bullied or teased often become anxious about going to school, and if the problem is not addressed, the anxiety will continue along with a host of other problems,” she says. “Similarly, children who are avoiding school may be doing so because school is hard for them — school anxiety many times emerges just before a child is diagnosed with a learning difficulty.”
The bottom line, she says, is for parents to reach out to their kids and talk honestly about what’s going on. And, if problems persist, reach out for help — through the school, the child’s doctor or nurse, or a mental health professional.
Find out more on the web at:
- KidsHealth: Back to School http://www.kidshealth.org
- American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry: Children who won’t go to school http://www.aacap.org/publications/factsfam/noschool.htm
