“There are effective ways to help kids who have difficulty going to school,” says Kashden. “The underlying causes of school refusal are most often anxiety and depression, but cognitive disorders, disruptive behavior disorders and addictions can also play a part.”
Watch for the Symptoms
Children with school refusal may complain of physical symptoms, including headaches, stomachaches, nausea or diarrhea, shortly before it is time to leave for school. Tantrums, separation anxiety, avoidance and defiance are also signs of the condition. In some cases a child may refuse to leave the house, or once in school may repeatedly ask to visit the nurse or go to the bathroom.
School refusal can begin slowly and increase over time, or it may appear suddenly, particularly when a child is starting middle or high school, following a recent move, or as a result of family structure changes such as divorce, death or illness.
Understanding is Key
“If a parent or teacher notices signs of school refusal in a student, the first step should be a supportive conversation with the child and parent, to gain an understanding of the child’s concerns,” says Kashden. “In many cases these concerns can be resolved once they are brought out into the open. But if the anxiety, depression or other issues require more attention, referral to a behavioral health treatment provider, within the school or possibly outside of school, may be helpful.”
Treatment may include cognitive behavior therapy to address the anxiety and depression. PHBH can be of assistance in situations where the student refusing to go to school is not responding well to school and outpatient interventions. Clinicians at PHBH work in collaboration with families and schools to help children and adolescents get back to school, and back to their activities of daily living.
For more information on PHBH’s adolescent outpatient services, call 888.437.1610 or visit www.princetonhouse.org/adolescents.
Article as seen in the September/October 2017 issue of Princeton Health.
