Children With School Phobia: When School Becomes A Problem

Many children fear certain dark animals and, among other things, natural phenomena such as storms. But in most cases, these fears begin to disappear as they grow. However, it is a fear that is really difficult to deal with, and it is about children with school phobia.

Phobia is called “evolutionary fear”. But what happens when a phobia lasts a long time and is so extreme that it actually disrupts your life? Because education is such an integral part of childhood and adolescence, there is no doubt that children with school phobia may have difficulty.

Children with school phobia

School phobia is basically an irrational and excessive fear of school or certain school-related things. This can cause many children to have trouble going to school or being there all day.

School phobia can be caused by:

• Rejection of classmates or teachers.

• Problems with academic performance.
• Frequent school change.
• Trouble at home.
• Certain diseases and the symptoms that come with them.

All of these situations can lead to an anxiety episode, along with motor, physiological and cognitive changes.

Children with school phobia: Cognitive symptoms

One of the main symptoms of school phobia is school-related negative thoughts. A child may also begin to anticipate negative consequences (such as being yelled at by the teacher) for no reason.

A child with school phobia is likely to have a negative view of school performance. In addition, they may become fixated on the fear of vomiting, going out, or experiencing other physical symptoms in front of classmates.

Children with school phobia: Motor symptoms

The most important motor symptom is to avoid. To put it more clearly, a child with this phobia will fight (orally or physically) when it’s time to go to school.

They may say they are in pain or sick, not getting out of bed, not getting dressed or not eating breakfast. They will basically not carry out any routine to get ready for school. Even when they go to school, they can cry, scream or cling to their parents so that they do not have to go inside.

Physiological symptoms

Some of the most common physiological symptoms are sweating, muscle tension, abdominal pain, diarrhea and dizziness.

School phobia versus separation anxiety

If you want to know if your child has a school phobia, you must first understand the difference between separation anxiety and this condition.

Separation anxiety is basically the child’s fear of being apart of the people they have a strong emotional bond with, most often the parents. It can happen at any time, for example when they go to school, go on a trip or even just before an overnight stay at a friend’s home.

Thus, you need to find out exactly why your child does not want to go to school. If the root of the fear is separation anxiety, they probably do not suffer from school phobia.

How to help children with school phobia?

There are several techniques and methods to help a child overcome this phobia. According to many studies, the most effective are founded in cognitive behavioral psychology. This field works under the assumption of changing mindsets that lead to behavioral changes and vice versa.

The most common methods are:

• Systematic desensitization. May prove to be especially helpful if the child is trying to avoid and go to school. The technique works by gradually exposing the child to fear. The goal is to reduce anxiety slowly so that they can see that nothing bad will happen.
• Social skills training. Part of the child’s fears may be related to the rejection of classmates. If this is the case, you can help your child learn social skills so that they are better equipped to build relationships with the other children at school.
• Cognitive adjustment. Adjustment involves changing the child’s irrational or exaggerated perceptions. Doing this will help them change the negative view they have at school, or make it a more positive and realistic experience.
• Relaxation training. Learning to use relaxation techniques can help a child control anxiety-related physiological symptoms.

Use of medication against school phobia

The main goal of treating school phobia is that the child should stop feeling anxiety, fear or any other discomfort. Although doctors prescribe medication (mostly antidepressants) in some cases, you should weigh the pros and cons carefully to take this route.

Some studies suggest that the side effects of these medications do not justify their use, as certain forms of treatment have been shown to be effective. Therapy is generally the best and most effective option, and certainly the one with the most potentially long-lasting results.