From my experience working with school-aged children and their parents and carers, there seems to be a distinct correlation between starting or resuming school and increased anxiety in many children. That's not to say that our education system is to blame, there are a number of factors contributing to anxiety around the start of a new school year.
Most children have had an extended break from the school routine or are at the start of their schooling when the school year starts. Many have spent a lot of extra time with family and friends doing enjoyable activities and living a more relaxed lifestyle. When the new school year rolls around, it can be a shock to the system with more structured routines, less free time and time with family and friends, academic pressure, peer group issues and unwanted removal from their 'comfort zone'. Whether your child is new to school and starting in kindergarten or returning to years 1 - 12, they are faced with sudden (and often uncomfortable) change when school resumes. There is a transition period in which some kids adapt very well while others have more difficulties during this time. A number of parents and carers that have brought their child/ren in to our clinic have noticed that their child's anxiety has been triggered or aggravated around the time of the new school year. As school is an important part of our upbringing, we need to learn to support our kids in the best way we can while they transition through this period. The first step is to acknowledge their anxiety, fears, feelings and emotions. This isn't as simple as it sounds - it's easy to brush these things off as passing behaviours in the hope the child will soon enough forget about their anxiety. This generally doesn't tend to work and can lead the child to feel more vulnerable and isolated. Acknowledging your child's feelings and giving them a safe open space to talk about these can help both parents and kids to further understand how they are feeling and facilitate coping strategies. Kids are faced with continuous stimulation to all their senses - colours, noise, animation, tactile exercises and much more. Providing an environment at home that can help to nourish and down-regulate the nervous system can be really helpful. Although many children claim that playing on a device relaxes them, studies indicate the contrary. Most activity on electronic devices stimulate the nervous system by initiating the release of adrenalin and increasing brain activity. Even the screen lighting disrupts the sleep-wake cycle by 'tricking' the brain into thinking it is a different time of the day/night which in turn influences the hormone production and can throw the body into chaos. Ensuring your child gets nutrient-rich foods throughout the day and evening has a significant positive impact on rebalancing the nervous system. Wholegrain products offer many more nutrients that refined (white) grain products while pieces of fruit and vegetables offer vitamins and minerals that can't be found in processed snack foods. Most kids love carbs therefore being mindful of their intake of protein and good fats in each meal is an effective way of increasing their nutrient intake to optimise general health and wellbeing. In some cases, where the diet is limited and the child isn't consuming their recommended dietary intake, adding in a supplement can be helpful to increase those levels. Before supplementing with any products, it is advised to speak with a professional healthcare practitioner to ensure there are no existing conditions and contraindications. Taking time to switch off from the daily busy-ness and doing something with your child or teen that relaxes them and that they enjoy will help to ground them and engage their (and your) parasympathetic nervous system. Walking along the beach, laying under a shady tree, playing with the dog or doing a guided meditation together can all help to calm the nervous system which also supports gut health and can improve sleep hygiene. Making these relaxing rituals a regular or daily occurrence will further balance the nervous system. If you feel that your child is finding their anxiety difficult to manage or if it is impacting their daily life or sleeping pattern, it may be time to get some outside help. Many health care practitioners can help with childhood and teenager anxiety including Naturopaths who can help with diet, lifestyle and child-friendly supplements if needed. Occasionally there may be a need for further investigation to identify any underlying issues and correct specific imbalances. If you need some support feel free to reach out by calling 0405 128 213.
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AuthorBelle is a Naturopath at Northern Beaches Integrative Practitioners on Sydney's Northern Beaches. Apart from being a mum, Belle is passionate about children's health, mental health, immune health and gut health. On this page, Belle shares some insight and tips on common (and not so common) health disorders via her blogs. Archives
December 2021
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