SCHOOL REFUSAL
GETTING DIAGNOSIS:
AFTER DIAGNOSIS:
Recognize the signs:
Thoughts:
I don’t like the recess yard
I’m no good at school anyway
It’s more fun at the mall/being at home where I can do what I want
It’s not fair that I have to go to school. I want to stay home with mum and the new baby
The other kids will laugh at me
What if grandma doesn't pick me up after school?
What if I can’t find my classroom?
Physical feelings:
Dizziness or light headedness
Frequent urination and/or diarrhea
Headaches
Muscle tension
Racing heart
Shaking or trembling
Shortness of breath or hyperventilation
Stomachaches or abdominal pain
Vomiting
Emotions:
Anger
Anxiety/worry/fear
Embarrassment
Irritability
Loneliness
Sadness
Shame
Behaviors:
Clinging or refusal to separate from a parent
Complaining
Crying or tantrums
Failing to turn in homework or assignments
Frequent phone calls or texts to a parent
Lying
Running away or hiding
Skipping class or cutting school
Trouble concentrating
Withdrawal from others
Children can have difficulty attending school due to a variety of factors, ranging from post-holiday blues to test anxiety, as well as peer teasing or conflict, and academic pressures. It becomes a real problem some youth struggle to attend school on a more consistent basis.
Did you know that...?
Did you know that...