School phobia – This book covers the entire syllabus of “Psychiatric Nursing” prescribed by the Universities of Bangladesh- for Basic and diploma nursing students. We tried to accommodate the latest information and topics. This book is an examination-friendly setup according to the teachers’ lectures and examination questions.
At the end of the book previous university questions are given. We hope in touch with the book students’ knowledge will be upgraded and flourish. The unique way of presentation may make your reading of the book a pleasurable experience.
School phobia
“School phobia is an anxiety duorder of childhood and adolescence, characterized by an intense fear of going to school”
[Ref-Suraj Gupta/11/57)
Or
School phobia or school refusal in a child manifested by poor school attendance caused by unwarranted fear or inappropriate anxiety about leaving home, or in particular, the child’smother.
[Ref-MR Khan/4th//332)
Causes of school phobia:
1. Anxiety of being separated: in principle, this anxiety is normal because it’s built in to the child’s natural development process. Lots of parents don’t really pick up on it as it’s so natural, except if school phobia and refusal to go to school accompany it.
2. General anxiety: the fear of not knowing where to go, forgetting their books, not having any friends, not understanding teachers’ instructions, not following the lesson, etc.
3. Performance anxiety: it concerns children with learning difficulties like avstesia. dyscalculia, and dyspraxia more so. If the learning difficulty hasn’t been detected and followed up, the child might imagine, wrongly or rightly, that they are being given a rough ride.
4. Feeling different: children who suffer from attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or those who are intellectually gifted or particularly sensitive feel that they are different to other children.
5. A physical difference in weight, colour, and origin: children can be cruel to each other and fix very few limits. If your child is being called names, life at school can very quickly become unbearable.
6. Real problems with other pupils: bullying can also lead to a child refusing to return to the place where they are systematically abused.
Treatment of school phobia:
After the parents are assured that their child is well, the physician should insist on the immediate return of the child to school Physician should then review with the parents what approach to use if the child reports that he or she is sick the next day.
If the anxiety about going to school occurs in a child 3-5 years old following a medical illness, it usually responds to support from the parents. The pediatrician should consult school personnel for information about the child’s pattern of behavior at school and should ask the parents’ opinion about what could be wrong with their child. It is helpful to meet with the parents and child separately, so that there is less denial w the problem on either of their parts.
If possible, arrange for the mother or father to accompany the child to school. Once the child is actually at school, he or she will generally stay. The school personnel should be ‘alerted prior to the child’s return to school to make arrangements to reduce further anxiety the child may experience while in the, lass.
Psychotherapy may be indicated for the parents and child. Behavioral management techniques, such as desensitization, may be helpful. The short-term use of anti-anxiety medications may be necessary, if the child’s anx’ety is overwhelming.
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