How To Deal With School Phobia

By Author: tanya
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Many districts are back to school this week, causing outbreaks of nerves in legions of kids. Each fall there is a normal reluctance among most children to begin school. When a child doesn't want to go to school, it is often assumed by school professionals the reason lies at home. They always play sick to get out of school. But what if it's anxiety about school that is making them really sick? School phobic children are often insecure, sensitive, and do not know how to cope with their emotions.

The tendency to develop social phobia involves both genetic and environmental factors. The term school phobia is actually misleading since children are seldom afraid of anything associated with school. The root of the problem is generally related to separation anxiety based on, and too often encouraged by, a persisting emotional tie with the mother. Young people with social phobia are frequently preoccupied with negative views of themselves.

Symptoms may begin after a holiday or illness. Some children have trouble going back to school after weekends or vacations. Stressful events at home or school or with peers may cause ...
... school refusal. All the children can feel is they fear and their fear of what happens to them when they are afraid. The longer a child stays out of school the harder it is for them to go back. A few are truly frightened by a particular activity, such as riding the school bus or attending an assembly.

What causes it? One of the most common reasons is performance anxiety. Kids who are perfectionists, or who are concerned about their schoolwork will often suffer. Perhaps they have been absent for a substantial illness, and are concerned they won't catch up. Perhaps they are very intense about success which causes a real concern about failure. It may also be that the child wants to avoid tests, presentations, group work, specific lessons, or interaction with other children.

How to deal with it? Counseling can help children with social phobia, and everyone around them, to understand that their symptoms are caused by a disorder with complex genetic and environmental origins--not by flawed attitude or personality. There are good teachers who understand just how discouraged and afraid of school a child can be. But now all the time that teacher can be helpful. Asking open-ended questions can be a first and foremost means of action.

What can parents and teachers do? Help the child build self-confidence by discovering his or her strengths and by providing opportunities for the child to excel. Tell her she is brave for going to school. Although her friends find it easy, she has a private battle she has to fight every school day. Monitor bullying activities that may be taking place. Have the teacher or other school professional, such as the school counselor; establish a caring relationship with the child. The teacher should ignore somatic complaints and acting-out behavior while positively reinforcing the cooperative behavior of the child.

Get help from the internet and other parents, many online resources and books are available to help parents, clinicians, and educators learn more about children and adolescents with social phobia.
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