School can be stressful. Anxiety can make things worse. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health disorders among children and so it is not surprising that anxiety has found its way into schools. With an increase in stress, expectations, and stimulation school can add quite the heavy load to an already anxious child. This anxiety can cause them to miss out on educational instruction, social interactions, extracurriculars, and other developmental milestones.
Due to the impact that school anxiety can have, early intervention is key. However, that is not always easy because anxiety can mimic the presentation of other disorders. There is some overlap seen between anxiety based disorders, ADHD, ODD, and Autism. Let us take a look at some initial warning signs that a child may be experiencing anxiety at school:
- Frequent and unnecessary trips to the nurse’s office
- Lack of participation in otherwise intelligent and engaged children
- Avoiding socializing with peers or taking part in group work
- Not completing or turning in homework assignments
- Displaying disruptive behaviors
- Excessive tardiness and/or absences
Once determining that anxiety is present, we want to respond in the most effective
manner. As with most forms of anxiety, the longer a trigger is avoided the stronger the fear will grow. The longer a child struggles to attend school, the more difficult it will be for them when they do go back. Getting a child back into the school environment as soon as possible will result in the best outcome. To do this, you need to ensure that you are seeing a therapist with the right skill set.
There are a few therapies that have been found to be helpful for school anxiety.
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy will help the child to gradually face their fear surrounding school. Using a step-by-step approach the child will move towards their fear with the support of their parents and a mental health provider. Over time, this will build the child’s self-confidence and teach them that they are capable of handling hard things; like going to school despite anxious feelings.
Supportive Parenting of Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE) is another reputable
treatment modality. With a focus of working with caregivers, SPACE will help parents learn how to utilize supportive statements to most effectively encourage their child to face their fears. They will also learn how to change some of their own behaviors in order to foster independence and self-confidence in their child. School may be a source of fear for their child, but SPACE gives parents a tangible way for them to help their child overcome this fear.
A therapist trained in ERP or SPACE can help you navigate these processes. Here at
OCD Spectrum our therapists have extensive experience in helping families find freedom from the stress of school anxiety. Children spend a great deal of their time at school. We want to ensure that it doesn’t have to carry such a heavy weight. Let us help take some of the load off.
To learn more or request an appointment please click here.
