PENNSYLVANIA, USA — As students trickle back into classrooms, there's a good chance they're carrying some feelings in addition to that backpack.
"We're ending summer, so that means there's this change in scheduling, the change in expectations, and depending on the difficulty level of the grade that they are entering, there certainly can be a lot of anxiety and distress over that," said Dr. Santisree Tanikella.
Dr. Santisree Tanikella is a pediatrician with UPMC. She says there are many things parents can do to keep their kids cool for school.
"Deep breathing, I think, is a wonderful skill for everybody. no matter what age you're at. I think being able to slow down the mental processes so that we're a little bit more thoughtful and a little less reactive can be very helpful tools."
Dr. Tanikella stresses it's not just adults who struggle with anxiety and depression, and trying to navigate those feelings can be debilitating for children.
"They're not able to get out of bed in the morning. They're afraid to get on the school bus. Those are all instances that a parent should kind of pause and say, 'Maybe this is a little bit beyond what I'm able to help them with at home'; 'Maybe we should consider going to the pediatrician or seeing a psychologist.'"
To help alleviate some of that stress, Dr. Tanikella says to make sure your child is prepared physically and mentally to return to the classroom.
"Helping them to walk through what that first day might look like can help them prepare a little bit better, so they are not walking into a field of unknowns, and I think that feeling of unknown can create a lot of distress."
Dr. Tanikella emphasizes that communication is key to success all school year long.
"Talking to them about their day. What went well, what went not so well, and being able to focus on the positive aspects, and bolstering, putting the foundation underneath those areas that need a little bit of support. Those are all ways where we can really listen to our child and be sensitive to their needs."