| Try Therapy for a Change copyright 2011 Antonia Caretto |
| www.BeTreatedWell.com |
| Antonia Caretto, Ph.D., PLLC (248) 553-9053 |
School refusal occurs in nearly five percent of children ages seven to eleven, and between one and two percent of children age 14 to 16. The incidence is highest in children age five to seven and eleven to fourteen. School refusal usually develops after a child has been home from school because of an illness or vacation, after a stressful event or at the time of a move to a new school. Children whose parents have anxiety disorders have a higher rate of anxiety disorders than those children whose parents do not have these disorders. Young children may exhibit behaviors which indicate a predisposition to developing school refusal. Some warning signs include a clinging attachment, fear of staying in a room alone or in the dark, trouble sleeping or nightmares, and very intense worries about something awful happening when away from home or separated from parent or attachment figures. Parents can make attempts to prevent school refusal by giving the child appropriate opportunities to separate from them during the preschool years by exposing them to playgroups, daycare, preschool and babysitters. If a child begins to exhibit school refusal behavior, parents need to make the school administration aware of the situation, and work with them to identify and resolve any bullying or situations that may be contributing to the anxiety. Parents should not encourage school refusal by allowing the child to stay home. Missing school only increases the academic and social difficulties which reinforces the school refusal. Children who refuse to attend school usually try to convince the parent to let them stay home. Frequently there are genuine physical symptoms which improve if the child is allowed to avoid school. Common complaints are headaches, nausea, stomach aches and dizziness. Symptoms can include vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, trembling and a fast heart rate. Sometimes the child will cry or have an angry outburst. About a quarter of the children who refuse to attend school have an underlying anxiety problem, usually separation anxiety or social phobia. Early intervention is very important because research shows that individuals who experience anxiety disorders in childhood are at risk for continued psychiatric problems, as well as, substance abuse. Treatment for school refusal is cognitive behavioral therapy for an average period of six months. Cognitive therapy teaches the child to redirect their thoughts and actions into more effective coping patterns. The behavior therapy involves teaching the parents and the child strategies for overcoming certain stressful events and may include desensitization. Cognitive behavioral therapy does produce successful results with more than 80 percent of children attending school normally one year after treatment. |
 | |  |