Sometimes the child feels relief just by expressing concerns about friends or school expectations. Some common sense strategies to try include having another family member bring the child to school, or if the child does stay home then rewards such as snacking, tv, toys, or parental attention should be eliminated. A school schedule may be duplicated at home. However, if the child is extremely upset, if the child needs to be forced to attend school, if there is significant family stress, or if the refusal to attend school is becoming habitual, the family should not hesitate in asking for assistance from the school psychologist, school counselor, or other mental health professionals. Parents and the school need to work together to identify what is causing or maintaining this behavior and to develop a comprehensive plan of intervention.
Treatment depends upon the causes, which can be difficult to determine.
Helping the child to relax, develop better coping skills, improve social skills, using a contract, and helping the parents with parenting or family issues are all examples of possible treatments. Solve your child's school related problems. The identification and treatment of school phobia. Newsletter Copyright 1996-2001 WETA .