When does my child need professional help?
If the child suffers a lot from the fear of school, psychologically and/or physically, professional help is advisable. Because if such psychological stress remains untreated, it can not only impair the child’s school performance until graduation, but can also make the child vulnerable to psychological problems later in life. Therefore, any suspicion of school anxiety should at least ask the school psychologist for advice. He or she can then decide whether treatment by a doctor is appropriate.
What can you do about the fear of school?
When overcoming the fear of school, it is important to find the cause and, if possible, eliminate it. If, for example, the child is afraid of school because of social conflicts, the focus is on reconciliation with the other party. Often this is not so easy, since very few children develop a fear of school due to simple arguments.
Usually more complex problems such as bullying or discrimination by a teacher are behind the fear of school. To solve these conflicts, other parents and teachers must therefore usually be consulted. If a fear of failure is the reason for refusal to attend school, the child must also receive psychological support.
This involves strengthening the child’s self-esteem and eliminating the irrational fear that the world would end if he or she received a bad grade. Family and teachers must be brought on board, since they often put pressure on the child and thus contribute to the fear of failure. A good contact person for any form of fear of school is the school psychologist, who can be found in most schools.
This person can not only look after the child, but also coordinate the cooperation of students and teachers.There is no specific remedy for school phobia in either homeopathy or conventional medicine, as it is a psychological problem. However, homeopathy in particular offers many possibilities to alleviate mental suffering and calm the child. This can be helpful in overcoming fear as a complementary measure. Examples of substances used are Argentum nitricum (silver nitrate) for panic and anxiety, Gelsemium sempervirens (yellow jasmine shrub) for nervousness and Lycopodium clavatum (club moss) for excessive demands and stress.
