What is School Refusal?

A certain degree of anxiety and fear about school and school camps is normal for children. However, some children experience excessive anxiety which can result in refusal to attend school (hence the term “school refusal” or “school phobia”). Such children often complain of headache, stomachache or other physical illness. School refusal occurs in about 1 to 2 % of school children.

School refusal causes much distress to the child and also interferes with the child’s social and educational development. The more time the child is away from school, the more difficult it is for the child to resume normal school life. As it is a difficult problem to manage, school refusal creates stress for parents and school teachers.