Children returning to school may be faced with crippling anxiety, according to a Massey University psychologist who says parents need to be responsible for helping them manage this stress.
Massey University senior clinical psychologist Dr Kirsty Ross, who is based at the Manawatu campus, has studied the effects anxiety can have on children at the beginning of the school year.
She says most often this anxiety is apprehension about what might happen in the future.
"These thoughts and worries can lead to physical responses that can promote fight or flight reactions such as feeling physically tense, hot, sweaty, an increased heart rate, nausea.
"These can all be signs of anxiety."
Adolescents display their anxiety in a variety of ways and Dr Ross says for younger children, this is usually a sore tummy or headache.
They may also exhibit a change in behaviour becoming more clingy, tearful and irritable.
"The physical symptoms will be real -- the child is not lying, but their sore tummy and nausea is in response to anxiety, rather than illness.
Older children may recognise they're feeling anxious and be able to tell you that but, some may not have realised the change in how they feel or their behaviour, and the reason for it."
She says moving through to high school often prompts fears about fitting in with peers or gaining the necessary achievements.
"Irritability, moodiness, changes in appetite and sleep are all typical in adolescents, but if they are particularly marked around a situation such as starting school, they may be indicators of a worried teenager."
Tips to help your child with anxiety:
Help them to recognise the signs.
Practice calm breathing.
Help your child to think positive.
Build resilience by helping your child remember a tough time they successfully came through.
Visualisation - anxiety can be helped by visualising how their day will go.
Do not let them avoid the problem.
If there are genuine difficulties in their environment, communicate with their school.
Celebrate their successes and support them.