Now that summer is almost over, kids will be starting or returning to school. For some parents this is a difficult time because the changes in the family's schedule can be hard to manage and many kids simply don't want to go back to school, to start a new school, or a new grade. Shy children and children with learning or emotional difficulties have a particularly hard time in facing a new classroom or a new school.
School phobia is a real entity and it is important for parents and doctors to search for the cause. Why is a child resisting going back to school? If pediatricians and family doctors really know their patients they should be able to offer some insight into the problem. I remember one boy who developed bad tics on starting school. His parents thought that the recent loss of a beloved grandfather was the cause but on doing a physical examination I picked up what are called "neurological soft signs" which often are seen in children with learning disabilities. The excellent child psychologist that I referred children to for either testing or counseling found that the boy had quite a significant learning disability. By getting him some special help, the tics gradually cleared and the school phobia was no longer a problem.
Any physical problem can become intensified at the start of school. Headaches can be a particularly problem and it is important to discover the cause of these. Headaches can be caused by visual problems. sinus infections, migraines, allergy, or just stress and tension. A good physical examination, a family history of allergy or migraines, and perhaps some allergy testing can be helpful.
Now that summer is almost over, kids will be starting or returning to school. For some parents this is a difficult time because the changes in the family's schedule can be hard to manage and many kids simply don't want to go back to school, to start a new school, or a new grade. Shy children and children with learning or emotional difficulties have a particularly hard time in facing a new classroom or a new school.
School phobia is a real entity and it is important for parents and doctors to search for the cause. Why is a child resisting going back to school? If pediatricians and family doctors really know their patients they should be able to offer some insight into the problem. I remember one boy who developed bad tics on starting school. His parents thought that the recent loss of a beloved grandfather was the cause but on doing a physical examination I picked up what are called "neurological soft signs" which often are seen in children with learning disabilities. The excellent child psychologist that I referred children to for either testing or counseling found that the boy had quite a significant learning disability. By getting him some special help, the tics gradually cleared and the school phobia was no longer a problem.
Any physical problem can become intensified at the start of school. Headaches can be a particularly problem and it is important to discover the cause of these. Headaches can be caused by visual problems. sinus infections, migraines, allergy, or just stress and tension. A good physical examination, a family history of allergy or migraines, and perhaps some allergy testing can be helpful.