Back-to-school anxiety may kick in for some children as the routine of school starts to kick in.

But local experts say a parent’s role is very important and prevention and preparation are the key to your child’s success.

It’s not uncommon for a child to experience sleepless nights, headaches, stomachaches or tantrums. These are all signs of anxiety.

Hopefully the anxiety passes once a child gets used to the swing of things, but local experts say it’s important to treat each age group differently, starting with the youngest

“Separation anxiety is common, they go from being with that care taker 24 hours a day to being around teachers who they don’t really know,” said Addison Wakeford, a clinical social worker who counsels children and families.

Wakeford suggests observing your youngest in the classroom or preschool and making that transition smoother.

Addison said the next transition period is from 4th to 6th grade when all the sudden a different level of academics is introduce. If the student starts to fall a little bit behind, that next transition will be even more difficult and before the student knows it, he or she could be behind.

Anxiety is common during times of transition, this includes a move from preschool to elementary then from elementary to middle school and again from middle to high school.

But as Wakeford says, a parent has the power to prevent, especially if he or she is proactive.

He suggests, nightly communication and taking advantage of teachers’ accessibility, whether it be online or in person.

Identify ways your child could be stressed, get them on a routine, stay on top of their schedule’s not behind them and pay attention to their habits. Being a proactive parents help your kids stay mentally healthy as well as physically healthy.

A good place to start? Laura Gould of Bay Medical suggests, bed time. She says even if they don’t fall asleep right away, it’s a good idea to get a bed time rule in place and abide by it.

Want more info: Addison Wakeford you can contact him at 850-238-2422 or log on to www.needtherapy.net

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