Back to School: Part 1 – How Parents Can Help Their Kids Deal with Anxiety as the New School Year Approaches
For children, tweens and teens, anxiety comes in many forms. Very young children may have a hard time separating from their parents or caregivers. School-aged children—especially those transitioning to a new school—may not know where to go on their first day, much less whether they’ll have any friends. And tweens and teens may feel self-conscious about changes in their bodies.ÌýÌý
The signs of anxiety in our children are just as variable as the real-world problems that cause it.ÌýÌý
Dr. Sherry Huang, a pediatrician and Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at 91Â鶹¾«Æ·, describes some of these signs and symptoms. In small children who aren’t yet able to express themselves verbally, you may see the following:Ìý
- increased defiance, irritability or clinginessÌý
- refusal to go to schoolÌý
- sleep disturbancesÌý
- loss of appetiteÌý
- decreased ability to concentrateÌý
- low energyÌý
- physical symptoms such as nausea, muscle tension, dizziness, headaches or stomach achesÌý
- persistent cryingÌý
Anxiety symptoms in tweens and teens may include:Ìý
- withdrawal from family and social lifeÌý
- spending more time in their roomsÌý
- sleeping too muchÌý