Is going back to school the furthest thing from your mind? Sorry to burst your summer-bubble but as September draws nearer, teeny-tiny twangs of anticipation may start gaining momentum in your child.
For some children, the transition back to school can be extremely difficult. Every year I see more and more children with various forms of anxiety. Although some anxiety is natural, deeper fears shouldn’t be brushed off.
What does anxiety look like? Anxiety can manifest in a variety of ways. These common signs or symptoms however, may make you might want to look a little deeper as to what’s going on with your child:
- Sleep Troubles
- Repeated requests of reassurance
- Excessive checking that school-things are in order
- Physical complains such as stomach aches and headaches
- Irritability and mood swings
- Refusal to talk about school
Anxiety can originate from just about any cause such as being separated from mom/dad, meeting new teachers, classrooms, classmates, schedules, facing germs, or enduring presentations, exams and assignments. Often as parents we feel helpless. But there is a lot you can do to help start the school year off on the right foot.
How to support your child:
Homeopathic remedies are very useful in providing back-to-school support no matter the severity or root cause. With homeopathy, a remedy is selected based on the unique experience and presentation of your child’s anxiety. One shoe does not fit all and a homeopathic consultation alone can be very healing to your child. It provides your child a neutral and caring space to freely express him/herself or in some cases, realize and connect with his/her true feelings.
Homeopathic remedies are a safe, non-toxic, non-addictive and a non-invasive natural form of treatment. In acute situations they are quick to act and only need to be repeated when necessary. Children have no problem taking remedies, as they are virtually tasteless, and do not have to be swallowed but rather dissolved in their mouth in seconds.
The goal of treatment is to help your child to feel their best through all the mental, emotional and physical challenges of school.
To compliment homeopathic treatment you can try these strategies at home to help minimize your child’s anxieties. Knowing how to communicate with an anxious child is key.
Nutritionally, it is important for an anxious child to watch their sugar intake. Anxiety makes the adrenal glands work overtime which causes an over production of both cortisol and adrenaline (among other hormones). Sugar also stimulates the adrenal glands, causing a double stress if a child is already anxious.
Instead, frequent sources of protein at snack time is key. Nuts and seeds, hummus with carrot sticks, eggs, meat and fish are a great healthy alternative to sugary processed snacks. This balances the blood sugar and takes the load off adrenal glands.
There are certain vitamins and minerals that will help support your child’s system and ensure they have the best resources available to help them cope. For further nutritional guidance please seek the support of one of the Sprout Wellness team members.
Wishing you a wonderful August and smooth transition in September!
Andrea Hauser, Homeopath
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