How to ease back-to-school anxiety and stress

Is your child anxious about going back to school this fall? It’s common for kids to have back-to-school jitters (and that was before their lives were upended by a global pandemic). For some kids summer is an unstructured time so returning to the scheduled routine of the school year can feel overwhelming. Kids may also experience both academic and social stressors, like deadlines for assignments or who to sit with in the cafeteria. 

What is back-to-school anxiety?

Approximately 4.4 million children aged 3-17 have a diagnosed anxiety disorder, according to the CDC. Heading back to school can trigger an upswing in symptoms in a typical year. In 2021, those feelings may be intensified after remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly 13% of children feel anxious about returning to school this fall, according to a recent SingleCare survey.

A Pew survey found 61% of teens say they feel a lot of pressure to get good grades. “For some kids school can be a scary transition after a summer of freedom,” says Maria Sanders, LSW, a clinical social worker and certified parent coach. “Some of the stress is driven by the child’s own inner thoughts and sometimes the stress is driven by the parents’ outward pressures.”

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Why does school cause stress?

Some causes of school stress are:

• Academic responsibilities
• Social pressures
• Extracurricular activities
• Transitions between classes
• Sports
• Bullying
• School shootings
• Racism
• Sexual orientation discrimination
• COVID-19

Signs of back-to-school stress

Kids may not know what they are feeling and they often don’t tell you they are stressed or anxious. So how do you know if your child is experiencing back-to-school stress or anxiety? Indicators of anxiety vary depending on your child’s age and personality. Common signs or symptoms of anxiety are:

• Irritability, mood swings, excessive crying, or changes in personality
• Changes in sleep patterns such as difficulty falling asleep or sleeping too much
• Changes in eating patterns, such as refusing to eat or eating too much
• Excessive questions related to going back-to-school
• Frequent physical complaints, such as stomach aches or headaches
• Avoidance of discussions about going back-to-school

“We can help our kids by teaching them to notice early warning signs so that they don’t turn into big ones,” says Sanders.

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How to help your child’s back-to-school anxiety

If your child is displaying some of these symptoms or expressed feeling anxious about going back-to-school there are ways to ease their fears. Sanders recommends that parents should first recognize their own parental stress and anxiety about their child going back-to-school.

1. Discuss your child’s concerns 

If your child doesn’t want to return to school, figure out what your child likes about school. “School is such a dynamic and multifaceted construct,” says Christopher Winter, MD, neurologist and sleep specialist ​at Charlottesville Neurology and Sleep Medicine and author of, The Rested Child. “Figuring out that your child likes reading, physical education, and chess club, but does not like math quizzes or the boy that sits next to him in a certain class can help parents and teachers optimize the environment for their child.”

Sanders recommends discussing the issue with your child by using an approach called collaborative problem-solving (CPS). “The parent tries to understand the child’s perspective and concerns. Then the parent and child can work together to come up with a mutually satisfactory solution that works for everyone,” Sanders says.

RELATED: Talking to children about their mental health

2. Maintain a regular sleep schedule

The CDC recommends that school age children sleep 9-12 hours per day. Dr. Winter also stresses the importance of sleep in reducing anxiety and stress. “Poor quality sleep or inadequate sleep exacerbates anxiety,” Dr. Winter says. “It reduces coping mechanisms, makes kids more emotionally labile, and increases cortisol and arousal states in general. Getting more sleep can help to bolster coping mechanisms and facilitate a more even mood.” 

Kids should start adjusting their sleep schedule weeks before school starts, to align with when they need to wake up for school. “Focus on the wake time and slowly moving it earlier as the start of school gets closer,” says Dr. Winter. “Consider light exposure and make sure your kids are getting plenty of it in the morning along with food and exercise as soon as they awaken. Limit bright lights and electronics at night.”

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3. Try meditation or yoga 

Research studies found yoga reduces symptoms of stress and anxiety.  Yoga uses physical and mental exercises that help to relax your mind and body. Yoga also helps calm the mind by regulating your breath. Meditation can help your child to feel present in the moment, safe in their own body, and quiets anxious thoughts. There are meditation and yoga programs available that are geared towards school-age kids. 

4. Visit the school 

Visiting the school over the summer may help ease fears and anxieties, especially if your child is going to a new school. Schedule a tour with the guidance counselor and ask to meet the teachers. This gives your child an opportunity to ask questions and to make a friend at the school.

“It’s not really about making the anxiety disappear but learning how to live with the anxiety and quiet it down so that the child can enjoy their days,” says Sanders.

When should your child see a doctor?

“Simple, appropriate amount of stress doesn’t cause mental illness,” says Sanders. If you are concerned about your child’s anxiety, consult your child’s physician. Sanders says, “If your child’s anxiety is interfering with their ability to socialize with their friends or participate in the sports or after school activities then it might be a good time to set up an appointment with a mental health therapist.”

Anxiety can be treated using the following medications, prescribed by a physician or psychiatrist.

SSRIs and SNRIs are two well-researched classes of psychotropic medicines. They are considered effective and safe  for pediatric anxiety disorders. Prozac (fluoxetine), Zoloft (sertraline), Paxil (paroxetine) and Effexor (venlafaxine) were researched and found  to be superior to placebo in the treatment of pediatric anxiety. Among the SNRIs clinical trials suggest that Effexor XR (venlafaxine SR), in particular, is effective for these disorders. A 2015 trial suggested that duloxetine especially benefits pediatric patients with generalized anxiety disorder.  Close follow up with a physician is needed as some children experience weight loss, increased cholesterol, and changes in vital signs while taking the medication.

Counseling or behavioral therapy is effective in combination with medication to alleviate anxiety for kids.