Many children have anxiety returning to school, but most will get over it within a few weeks. But if it persists for more than a month, parents should assess what is happening, explained Erik Swartz, head of pediatrics at Richmond Hospital.
Parents know their children’s baseline behaviour, he added, and if they see their children acting very differently from normal, that can be a sign they are struggling with mental health issues.
Some kids spend a lot of time in their rooms talking to friends online and on their phones – this is normal behaviour, Swartz said, but if they isolate, close the door and stay in a dark room, that can be sign of some larger problem.
Fortunately, however, children respond “extremely well” to therapy, Swartz said, unlike adults who are often distracted in therapy by day-to-day responsibilities.
“The positive thing is we can very effectively treat anxiety in children at almost any age,” Swartz said. “They respond extraordinarily well to counselling, to cognitive behavioural therapy.”
Swartz recommended approaching one’s family doctor who can figure out if their child’s behaviour is normal or not, but teachers and counsellors at school are also able to help.
That is one of the reasons why going to school is so important now, Swartz explained, because there vulnerable students see several responsible adults every day who can look out for them and pick up on if something is amiss.
“It’s a big worry for us when these kids are not in school,” Swartz said.
Swartz said there’s a lot of help available for families who are worried about their kids’ mental health, although, like everything in the health sector, waitlists can be long.
Richmond has a Child and Adolescent Program (CAP) where families can drop in to seek help. For more information, call 604-207-2511.
Swartz also recommends parents look at the Kelty website (keltymentalhealth.ca) to find resources on how to deal with anxiety and other mental health conditions.
