| A child with school avoidance anxiety is more than just | | | | children, the physical signs of School Avoidance |
| a little reluctant to go to school and consistently avoids | | | | Anxiety are: |
| going to school or, if they do manage to get there, has | | | | - Headaches |
| problems staying in school. This is a child who avoids | | | | - Stomachaches |
| school because of feelings of fear, dread and doom, | | | | - Nausea |
| not because of rebelliousness or delinquent behavior. | | | | - Diarrhea |
| School refusal or school avoidance anxiety is usually a | | | | Behavior Symptoms In addition to the physical |
| sign of a deeper problem, and if not dealt with right | | | | symptoms listed above, kids may display behavioral |
| away it can have long term effects. This can cause | | | | signs as well. Here are some of the common behavior |
| problems in the areas of normal social behavior, | | | | signs of stress: |
| confidence and self-esteem, as well as home life and | | | | - Fits of anger |
| academics. Recognizing the problem and getting help | | | | - Refusal to cooperate |
| early is the key to the positive outcomes for school | | | | - Separation anxiety |
| avoidance anxiety or any other types of anxiety | | | | - Somatizations |
| disorders. | | | | - Avoiding sources of anxiety/stress |
| Prevalence School avoidance anxiety is a problem for | | | | - Defiant, talking back |
| approximately 2 to 5 percent of kids in school at | | | | School avoidance anxiety is quite common and can be |
| sometime or other. Younger children at the preschool | | | | treated very effectively, usually through counseling. |
| to kindergarten level are normally going through the | | | | Finding and dealing with the source of the anxiety is a |
| very common experience of separation and some | | | | part of the process, as well as learning ways to deal |
| may have a harder time with it than others. Most get | | | | with stress and stressful situations. In order to get |
| over it on their own, but sometimes a severe case of | | | | better, the child must deal with the source of the |
| separation anxiety can turn into School Avoidance | | | | anxiety by facing their fears and learning coping |
| Anxiety as the child grows older and the anxiety and | | | | mechanisms and ways to deal with it. According to the |
| fear have not been treated. | | | | Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA), it |
| Common Sources of Stress The stressors change as | | | | is important that your child stay in school, even if it is a |
| a child grows older, but some of the more common | | | | struggle to do so. Being allowed to miss school enables |
| School Avoidance Anxiety stressors are: | | | | the negative behavior (and the anxiety), and does not |
| - Separation anxiety, leaving home | | | | make it go away. You will find it returns, even stronger |
| - Concerns about academic performance | | | | the next school day. |
| - Anxieties about making friends | | | | Early intervention is critical in getting the best long term |
| - Fear of a teacher or bully | | | | results, so see your doctor as soon as you suspect |
| Children tend to develop school avoidance anxiety in | | | | there may be a problem. Your doctor can help you |
| the 5 to 6 and 10 to 11 age groups, as this is the usual | | | | find the reasons for your child wanting to avoid school, |
| timeframe for major school transitions. | | | | refer you to a specialist or provide you with an |
| Physical Symptoms Stress appears in various physical | | | | appropriate referral or treatment plan. |
| symptoms, as well as noticeable behavior changes. In | | | | |