Attendance

Persistent anxiety can present in many ways, making it difficult to recognize. Symptoms may vary depending on the age of the child, and some children may keep worries to themselves or have difficulty explaining their feelings making it hard to identify symptoms. Anxiety symptoms can include, but aren’t limited to, the following:

• Feeling tired, irritable or easily tearful
• Having trouble separating from parents
• Experiencing difficulty sleeping or frequent nightmares
• Having trouble getting out of bed or dressed for school
• Lacking appetite
• Having trouble concentrating, which may lead to difficulty starting tasks, problems with homework and falling behind in school
• Experiencing physical symptoms, including stomachaches and headaches
• Avoiding activities they previously enjoyed
• Having negative or continuous thoughts that something bad is going to happen

Here are some tips that you can use to help your child get through these challenges, by intervening as quickly as possible, and return to school:

• Do not punish your child for refusing to go to school, as this can worsen things.
• If possible, avoid letting your child stay home. Though staying home from school may provide short-term relief for your child, continued absence from school will lead to the feeling of being disconnected from classmates and teachers, cause your child to fall behind academically and only make it harder to return.
• Speak with your child. Try to understand what’s bothering them and why they are avoiding school. If you are feeling a similar anxiety, it may help to share this with your child and to explain what you are doing to get through it.
• Make it clear that you are there to help your child and that you believe they can face their fears and get through this problem

Working through your child’s anxiety issues can be difficult and scary, and you shouldn’t have to do it alone. Take advantage of the resources at your child’s school:

• Talk with the school's student support specialists to discuss the student’s challenges, identify what can help your child and develop a return-to-school plan. SSPPS partners with the Associated Clinics of Psychology, talk with your student's team about scheduling an evaluation for in-school mental health support.
• For some students, a return-to-school plan may need to happen gradually (one or two classes initially and eventually a full day).
• In certain situations, a 504 plan or Individualized Education Program may be needed to ensure your child receives appropriate support and resources. If you feel like this is the best route forward, work with your student's school counselor to set up an evaluation.

If symptoms persist or are very severe, your child’s anxiety may be due to an underlying behavioral health disorder (i.e., anxiety disorder, panic disorder), an undiagnosed learning disability or the result of a physical or chronic health condition and should be evaluated by your child’s medical provider. Finally, remember to take care of your own physical and emotional well-being!