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"User expresses reluctance to visit the specified location."

School anxiety is a common issue that affects many children, often stemming from psychological disorders such as social fears or test and performance anxiety, as well as a strong focus on grades and competition [1][2][3][4][5]. This article aims to provide guidance for parents on identifying the signs of school anxiety and seeking professional help when necessary.

Identifying School Anxiety

Children experiencing school anxiety may exhibit various symptoms, both behavioral and physical. Behavioral changes such as irritability, clinginess, avoidance of school or social activities, withdrawal from friends or family, trouble sleeping or oversleeping, and reluctance to attend school are common indicators [1][2][3][4][5]. Physically, children may experience headaches, stomachaches, fatigue, changes in breathing or heart rate, loss of appetite, and even vomiting. Anxiety can also cause repeated visits to the school nurse and difficulty separating from parents during drop-off. Emotionally, children might show signs like being overly emotional, restlessness, difficulty concentrating, or repeatedly asking the same questions due to worry [1][2][5].

Seeking Professional Help

Parents should seek professional help when a child’s anxiety persists beyond initial weeks of school adjustment, interferes significantly with day-to-day life, causes ongoing physical symptoms, leads to emotional or behavioral problems, or results in multiple urgent requests to be picked up early from school or frequent absences without clear cause [1][2][3][4]. Professional help may include behavioral health screenings, therapy (individual or group), psychiatric evaluation, and medication management when appropriate. Early intervention through mental health professionals, school counselors, or specialized support staff can improve coping and reduce anxiety’s impact on a child’s functioning [1][4].

Supporting a Child with School Anxiety

Supporting a child with school anxiety involves listening to their worries, validating their feelings, communicating with school staff, easing school routines gradually, and modeling calm, confident behavior to foster security [1][2][5]. The conversation with the child should be led in a respectful manner and involve other trusted adults if necessary. Quality time together, such as daily meals or short vacations, can help start a conversation about school anxiety.

Preventive Measures

Parents should approach their child in a friendly and open manner when dealing with school anxiety. Teachers might notice signs of school anxiety in a child who shows fear when speaking in front of the class or is unusually nervous before tests. It's important for parents to convey that it's okay to have fears but going to school is necessary.

Triggers and Causes

Bullying, a climate of fear, and learning difficulties such as reading and writing weakness or math weakness can trigger school anxiety. High performance pressure from parents, teachers, or peers, especially in higher education, can also be a cause. Social isolation, being overwhelmed, or a reading and writing disorder can also contribute to school anxiety.

Addressing the Issue

Close observation by parents is necessary as such symptoms can also occur during puberty. Psychotherapy is often associated with waiting times due to a lack of therapy places, which can exacerbate the problem, especially in children and adolescents. In severe cases, a change of location or school might be considered.

Initial Points of Contact

Initial points of contact for professional help can be school psychological services, school social workers, or outpatient psychotherapeutic practices for children and adolescents. High performance pressure, bullying, and learning difficulties should be addressed to prevent and manage school anxiety effectively.

[1] National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). (2019). Anxiety Disorders. Retrieved from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders/index.shtml

[2] American Psychological Association (APA). (2020). School Anxiety. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/topics/school-anxiety

[3] Mayo Clinic. (2020). School Anxiety. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/school-anxiety/symptoms-causes/syc-20455133

[4] Child Mind Institute. (2020). School Anxiety. Retrieved from https://childmind.org/article/school-anxiety/

[5] Understood.org. (2020). School Anxiety. Retrieved from https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/social-emotional-executive-functioning/anxiety/school-anxiety

1. In addition to addressing school anxiety through supportive measures, it's essential to prioritize a child's health-and-wellness by providing them with information about the science of mental health and its relationship with young people's emotional and behavioral growth.
2. To further support children dealing with school anxiety, parents might consider incorporating education-and-self-development programs into their routine, focusing on stress management, building resilience, and fostering a positive mindset to empower young individuals in coping with academic pressures effectively.

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