As years have gone by, we have found school avoidance to be increasing across all ages. Below is some information on school refusal by Professor Christopher Kearney, PhD - a clinical child psychologist who specializes in school refusal. Click here for the full Q&A from Psychwire with Dr. Kearney.
Crying during school hours
Disruptive behavior at school that forces school administrators to send child home
Frequent visits to the nurse or counselor's office to avoid class
Frequent stomachaches or headaches
Separation difficulties
Sudden changes in behavior or personality
To avoid school-related situations that cause substantial distress
To escape painful social and or evaluative school-related situations
To get attention from caregivers or others important to them
To get tangible rewards outside of school that make staying home more comfortable
When you start to see or experience moments of school refusal with your child, early intervention is always helpful. Please reach out to the school and be sure to include your child's teacher as well as the school adjustment counselor so together a plan can be put in place. Open communication is key!