GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — We kick off our back-to-school safety week by first looking into your own mental health as it relates to anxiety, and anxiety over your child's safety.
It is common every year for students and even parents to feel nervous at back-to-school time, but this year, doctors tell us anxiety is back up.
That's after tragedies close to home and across the country last school year, more young patients and parents are asking for help.
Pediatric psychologists say kids and parents also still feel the effects of depression and isolation from COVID-19.
"Not just here at the Children's Hospital, but throughout our community, all of our behavioral health providers are seeing an increase and, and, you know, it's wonderful that people are reaching out, but also is concerning that our community is, is having a significant need," said Dr. Adelle Cadieux, a pediatric psychologist.
At the end of last school year, the traumatic shooting in Uvalde, Texas and the school shooting just hours from us in Oxford heightened nerves.
"That's why it's important for parents to just ask, what are the things that you are concerned about so that they can learn about, you know, what third child is needing to be supported and being successful at school?" said Dr. Cadieux.
Some warning signs if you think your child is suffering: difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep too long, lack of energy or interest in favorite activities, changes in appetite, and sometimes grouch behavior.
"Sometimes anxiety actually comes out more as anger and irritability. So some kids get, you know, seem to be just upset or really frustrated all the time, or getting angry really easily," said Cadieux.
If you as the parent feel anxious, doctors recommend getting help so your children don't pick up on anxious thoughts. Talk to your kids today about what they feel nervous about, and after that, take some practice runs through your back-to-school routine.
"The kids that are going to be riding a bus, here's where you go for your bus stop and I'm going to be waiting with a bus and there you'll get, and this is what will happen. That can provide some sense of security as well of, of just knowing of this is where my classroom is, these are the people that I'm going to be spending my time with at school, and this is my teacher and starting to build that trusting relationship with the teacher is really important to encourage for our kids," said Cadieux.
