Coping with back-to-school anxiety during pandemic
Mahoning Valley - Heading back to school is nerve-racking enough for children, but now with the added strain of the COVID-19 pandemic, health professionals said additional anxiety could likely develop.
"I think, specifically, they're anxious about the virus and then there might be some separation anxiety like 'I don't want to leave Mom, I don't want Dad, I want to stay home with my brothers and sisters' and then that generalizes then so they just become completely anxious," Pediatric Psychologist, Dr. Chiarella said.
Chiarella said school-aged kids who have a better understanding of the virus are likely to impact more than younger children; however, he said any child with pre-existing anxiety will likely see it worsen despite their age.
"It's going to impact most of the kids that are already anxious or predisposed to be anxious in a certain way," he said, "They're the ones who are going to struggle more than other kids."
Austintown Elementary School Counselor Danielle Sheely agrees separation anxiety may likely be present, however, for younger children since they've been home far more often with their family.
"They’ve been at home with mom and dad or a family member for six months, so having to leave them now... Just on a normal bases having to leave would be hard, but now having to leave them and knowing there’s this virus out there...," Sheely said.
Chiarella also said depending on how high parents' anxiety is could also be a major factor, so it's important for parents to calm their fears in order to cope with their children's.
"Check your own anxiety; Make sure that you have some sense of control over how you're dealing with sending your kids back to school," he said. "So a lot of is preparation and communication. It's preparing everybody and then communicating that reassurance to kids."
Both Chiarella and Sheely both said parents are already reaching out about their children's fears. Fortunately, Chiarella said children are "resilient" and can bounce back from anxiety caused by the pandemic unless they had a predisposed anxiety disorder.
Dr. Chiarella's advice for parents:
- Don't drill kids on the safety guidelines; try to be stern without over repeating
- Provide an honest explanation based on their developmental age without providing unnecessary information that could scare them, such as amount of deaths or how sick people get
- Reassure them what teachers and faculty are doing to keep them as safe as possible
- Explaining what's "possible versus what's probable" - "It's possible to get the virus, but not probable given the precautions taken"
- If kids are learning in isolation, have set routine each day and keep them busy
- Limit exposure to television and iPads while still incorporating Zoom calls and other ways to stay connected with others
- Tell them they're helping teachers and classmates by following precautions - He said to say, "Your teachers are helping you, what are you going to do?"
- Initiate a weekly family meeting to review how past week has been going and what has been most difficult
Anxious signs to look for in child:
- Mood changes
- Infant like behavior
- Bedwetting
- Difficulty sleeping
- Reduction in appetite
Chiarella said if signs last for 2-3 weeks or more, parents should contact a mental health professional.
Sheely said counselors plan on being there for students in hopes they stay as comfortable as possible.
"We’re going to be there, on that first day every day in the mornings, greeting the kids when they come in, and just trying to make it as normal as possible," she said, "Keeping them as calm as possible, and just knowing that we’re there for them whether they’re at home or at school, both options will present their own types of anxieties."
Sheely and Chiarella said it's important parents keep updated on resources and information, such as The Center for Disease Control website.
