Anxiety disorders are very common in children and can be disruptive to their home life and how they feel and perform in school, affecting how they interact with others and the activities in which they participate.
Anxiety can manifest as fear, panic and depression, leading to symptoms such as irritability, social withdrawal, sleep problems, as well as physical symptoms such as stomach aches or headaches. It can also result in eating disorders and other mental health issues.
Emotional and behavioural signs of anxiety:
- Persistent worry: constantly worrying about something, even if it seems minor, or having negative thoughts
- Irritability and outbursts: getting more angry or irritable than usual
- Clinginess: being overly clingy with parents and other family members
- Social withdrawal: avoiding social situations or activities with friends or classmates that they once enjoyed
- Fear and panic: feeling scared, panicky, embarrassed or self-conscious around others
- Avoidance: skipping things that cause anxiety, like school or sleepovers
- Difficulty concentrating: finding it hard to focus and stick to a task
Physical signs of anxiety:
- Sleep problems: trouble sleeping, waking up from bad dreams, or being unable to sleep alone
- Digestive issues: changes in appetite or complaining of tummy aches
- Restlessness: feeling tense, fidgety, or shaky
- Other physical symptoms: this might include headaches, muscle tension, a racing heart, or a frequent need to go to the toilet
Supporting a child with anxiety in the classroom
Creating a calm and predictable environment will help a child with anxiety to feel more settled and safe in school.
- Consider the lighting and displays in your classroom. Are they overly ‘busy’ and is the lighting too harsh? How much natural light is there?
- A quiet corner or calm-down area for breaks when pupils feel overwhelmed will help them to regulate
- Coping skills such as deep breathing, grounding techniques (like squeezing fists), or a”worry box” for written worries can help them articulate their feelings
- Could you modify tasks and expectations to support pupils who lack confidence? Visual aids can help with communication challenges
- Give advance warning for transitions, new tasks in class or new events so the child is not taken by surprise
- A staff mentor, a “buddy system,” or a familiar object, such as a photo or other comfort item, can provide reassurance
- Use vocabulary that validates feeling. Words such as ‘tricky’ or ‘uncomfortable’ sound much better than ‘bad’
- Don’t make light of their fears but try to help build resilience and confidence
- Liaise with parents and the school Senco on support plans and strategies which take into account the things that trigger the child.
