- Children Who Won't Go to School
(Separation Anxiety)
By The American Academy Of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
No. 7; Updated July 2004
Going to school usually is an
exciting, enjoyable event for young children. For some it brings
intense fear or panic. Parents should be concerned if their child
regularly complains about feeling sick or asks to stay home from
school with minor physical complaints. Not wanting to go to school
may occur at anytime, but is most common in children 5-7 and
11-14, times when children are dealing with the new challenges
of elementary and middle school. These children may suffer from
a paralyzing fear of leaving the safety of their parents and
home. The child's panic and refusal to go to school is very difficult
for parents to cope with, but these fears and behavior can be
treated successfully, with professional help.
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Refusal to go to school often
begins following a period at home in which the child has become
closer to the parent, such as a summer vacation, a holiday break,
or a brief illness. It also may follow a stressful occurrence,
such as the death of a pet or relative, a change in schools,
or a move to a new neighborhood.
The child may complain of a headache,
sore throat, or stomachache shortly before it is time to leave
for school. The illness subsides after the child is allowed to
stay home, only to reappear the next morning before school. In
some cases the child may simply refuse to leave the house. Since
the panic comes from leaving home rather than being in school,
frequently the child is calm once in school. |
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Children with an unreasonable
fear of school may:
* feel unsafe staying in
a room by themselves
* display clinging behavior
* display excessive worry and fear about parents or about
harm to themselves
* shadow the mother or father around the house
* have difficulty going to sleep
* have nightmares
* have exaggerated, unrealistic fears of animals, monster,
burglars
* fear being alone in the dark, or
* have severe tantrums when forced to go to school
Such symptoms and behaviors are
common among children with separation anxiety disorder. The potential
long-term effects (anxiety and panic disorder as an adult) are
serious for a child who has persistent separation anxiety and
does not receive professional assistance. The child may also
develop serious educational or social problems if their fears
and anxiety keep them away from school and friends for an extended
period of time.
When fears persist the parents
and child should consult with a qualified mental health professional,
who will work with them to develop a plan to immediately return
the child to school and other activities. Refusal to go to school
in the older child or adolescent is generally a more serious
illness, and often requires more intensive treatment.
Excessive fears and panic about
leaving home/parents and going to school can be successfully
treated.
For additional information see
Facts for Families:
#4 The Depressed
Child
#8 Children and Grief
#47 The Anxious Child
#50 Panic Disorder in Children and Adolescents
See Also: Your Child (1998 Harper Collins) / Your Adolescent
(1999 Harper Collins).
Copyright © 1997 by the
American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. |
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