children s health issues
School Avoidance
Introduction
School avoidance is a disorder affecting school-aged children who, because of anxiety, depression, or social factors, avoid attending school because attendance causes stress. Some psychologic and social factors may cause school avoidance. Children may fake illnesses and make up excuses to avoid going to school. To re-establish regular attendance at school, open communication between the child, parents, and school personnel is recommended. Sometimes psychologic therapy may be needed. School avoidance occurs in about 5% of all school-aged children and affects girls and boys equally. It usually occurs between age 5 and age 11. The cause of school avoidance is often unclear, but psychologic factors (such as stress, Overview of Anxiety Disorders in Children and Adolescents , and Sensitive children may overreact with fear to a teacher’s strictness or rebukes. Younger children tend to fake illness or make other excuses to avoid school. Children may complain of a stomachache, nausea, or other symptoms that justify staying home. Some children directly refuse to go to school. Alternatively, children may go to school without difficulty but become anxious or develop various symptoms during the school day, often going regularly to the nurse’s office. This behavior is unlike that of adolescents, who may decide not to attend school (called truancy or "playing hooky”—see School Problems in Adolescents ). Children who are frequently truant from school often have a In children who do not have a serious psychologic disorder, school avoidance tends to result from Poor academic performance Family difficulties Difficulties with peers Most children recover from school avoidance, but some develop it again after a real illness or a vacation. Home tutoring usually is not a solution. Children with school avoidance should return to school immediately, so that they do not fall behind in their schoolwork. If school avoidance is so intense that it interferes with the child's activity and if the child does not respond to simple reassurance by parents or teachers, the child may need to be seen by a mental health professional. (See also Overview of Behavioral Problems in Children .) 