Children feel safest when they sense that their needs are being met, or at minimum, that their needs are respected and understood. Though anxious children may attempt to keep their discomfort hidden out of sight, the toll their worry takes in terms of physical and emotional costs as well as interfering with social and academic functioning is one that adults can not overlook.
Often some sensible and no-cost accommodations in the classroom are enough to keep an anxious child in the game at school. When a child's anxiety is interfering with any aspect of their educational experience or learning they are entitled to help. The following are general recommendations for children who are having school-related difficulties. These ideas can be shared with your child's teacher or guidance counselor, these may need to be formally documented with an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP), or a 504 plan. ( See Sample Accommodations for Anxious Kids ). These recommendations can be printed and shared with school personnel.
