Call it ‘School Phobia’ or ‘School Refusal’. This is no small matter for kids, parents and school staff.
For some kids, the intense anxiety about school is immobilizing. Parents may see it as crying or screaming before leaving home for school, causing parents to miss work or be late for work. Kids may complain of stomachaches and headaches (which surprisingly disappears on weekends).
School staff may notice kids escaping class to hide in the nurse’s office or needing to make repeated calls home. It is reported that 5-28% of children will exhibit some degree of school-refusal. It is a problem that can grow and worsen if unaddressed.
- Overprotecting parents wanting to hover too much at school can send the message that school is a scary place and that the child can’t handle problems alone. They may enable the situation by calling them out of school due to their own anxiety of seeing their child in distress.
- Untreated school-refusal can cause the child to fall behind academically and socially.
- Kids with unresolved anxiety can turn to self-medicating behavior with alcohol and drugs or using other unhealthy methods of coping.
- School absences and over anxious behaviors can set the child apart from classmates which can worsen problems with bullying and isolation and increase the experience of anxiety.
- These problems, when unaddressed can take a child off-course developmentally.
The good news is that it is treatable. It has been shown that about 50-70% of kids with anxiety disorders treated with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) will have significant improvement. The key is to success is in seeking or recommending treatment early.
If you are worried about your child exhibiting any of the above behaviors, talk to your pediatrician, or contact Health Affiliates Maine for help.
Call 877-888-4304 or email info@healthaffiliatesmaine.com for more information.
Source: www.wsj.com
This article was provided by Health Affiliates Maine as Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Agency located in your area.
