Tips to Recognize, Overcome Back-to-School Anxiety

The countdown to the start of the school year has begun. And while most kids aren't exactly looking forward to it, some kids are truly dreading the return to the classroom.

Anxiety over making new friends, being in a new school, facing bullies, feeling "uncool" or coping with academic pressure can make even a well-adjusted child anxious. And that anxiety or fear can build up in a child's mind, leading them to act on it in many ways - from tummy aches and sleep problems to out-and-out refusal to go to school - says a University of Michigan Health System child psychologist.

Fortunately, there's still time to do something about it. Parents can start now, in the summer, to help kids face their fears and calm their worries, says Michelle Kees, Ph.D.

Most kids can overcome their fears with the help of a parent, she says. But for children who show signs of anxiety over a longer period, or intense fears, parents shouldn't hesitate to seek professional help from someone trained to help children and teens with anxiety problems and other mental health issues. As many as 5 percent of children have expressed some sort of prolonged "school refusal," experts estimate.

Fear of school can also have its roots in other situations - such as stressful home events, learning problems or bullying - that need prompt attention. And serious untreated anxiety in childhood can put a child at risk for problems later in life.

"Going back to school can be a very exciting time for children, or it can be a time of great anxiety, apprehension and uncertainty," says Kees, a clinical assistant professor of psychiatry, who treats children with anxiety disorders through the U-M Child & Adolescent Psychiatry clinic. "With any change that we experience in our lives, natural emotions such as anxiety can emerge. For children, this becomes more pronounced because every year they have this new experience of returning to school or starting at a new school."

If kids and parents don't deal with the anxiety and its causes, Kees says, "it can get out of control very easily. Often times, it's a vicious cycle where a child will feel anxious about going to school, the parent will feel badly for the child, and allow them to stay home. The next day, it becomes even more difficult for that child to go to school."

So, no matter what, parents shouldn't let anxiety keep kids away from school, she says. Talk to school counselors and teachers, and mental health professionals if need be, to figure out what might be done. And most important of all, work hard to talk openly with your child about what's worrying them, and how they might deal with it.

Depending on your child's age, different things might be causing them to worry, and different techniques might be able to ease their back-to-school fears, Kees explains. She offers this advice:

Kindergarten and elementary school children