School Going Fear

Despite being 13 years ago, my eldest son’s first day at Primary School is still etched in my memory. As I walked out of the classroom, he screamed the place down! And as a Montessori Teacher for a number of years I have witnessed many children for whom going to school is associated with fear and anxiety. One young girl became selectively mute as a response to these feelings. I even know a teen who spent a number of hours in the school toilets, as a way of coping with his discomfort.
School–going fear or didaskaleinophobia is defined as “a persistent, abnormal and unwarranted fear of going to school”. It is commonly believed to be an anxiety disorder, related most often to separation anxiety. It can also be defined as an “oppositional defiant disorder” and as such can be identified in one in four of seven to twelve year olds. Children who develop school phobia, become highly fearful of going to school, trying every avoidance tactic in order to stay away.

SYMPTOMS may include:

• Actively refusing to go to school
• Constant thoughts and fears about safety of self and parents
• Overly clingy with panic or tantrums on separation from parents
• Frequent stomach aches, headaches or other physical complaints
• Shortness of breath, rapid breathing, sweating and nausea
• Difficulty sleeping, sometimes with fear of being alone in the dark

CAUSES may include:
Change and/or separation are the common triggers for “school going fear”. Many children are fearful of and resistant to change, and in most children this common anxiety can be overcome. However, in a small proportion of children the fear can be exacerbated to more serious proportions. School phobia can interfere with a child’s cognitive and social development and may a cause a high level of worry to the child and family.

TREATMENT
With reference to conventional treatment, NICE Guidelines (2013, 1.6.1) recommend that doctors should “not routinely offer pharmacological interventions to treat social anxiety disorder in children and young people”, and may offer Cognitive Behavioural Therapy as an option.

Homeopathy also offers a viable and effective holistic treatment option, without the risk of side effects, and with the capacity to reduce levels of fear and anxiety over time. The correctly prescribed remedy and potency is important, making it advisable to see a registered practitioner: Key remedies for the homeopathic treatment of school going fear include Aconitum Napellus, Baryta Carbonicum and Calcarea Carbonicum. In more mild cases of anticipatory anxiety Kali. Phos. Tissue Salts are a useful support.

I know from experience and observation how distressing this period can be and how limited the treatment options appear. So if you feel that your toddler or teen is not coping with their new school, get in touch.

It is always advisable to consult with a qualified homeopath before administering remedies