Back to school Dyslexianxiety

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School can be very difficult place to go when you are dyslexic!

In a normal world, back to school brings with it many triggers that elicit stress and anxiety in students with dyslexia. Numerous academic experiences where a child has been ridiculed by peers or has continually failed, leads to trauma that has crushing implications on a child’s self-esteem. These consequences are long-lasting unless they are addressed and redirected. These reccuring situations can lead to a physiological “fight or flight” response where stress hormones are released and cognitive and coping skills are reduced to what I call… “freeze and fail”.

2020 is anything but a normal world!

Adding to the usual stressors for dyslexic students and any student with learning differences, we now have the backdrop of a global pandemic for the 2020 back to school experience. This can heighten a child’s level of anxiety beyond what they can manage.

This school year needs to be about monitoring and maintaining mental health… for students, parents and educators.

Monitoring Mental Health:
  • Increased separation anxiety
  • Clingy
  • Tantrums
  • Tummy aches
  • Withdrawn
  • Irritable
  • Angry
  • Surly with siblings and parents
  • Uncontrolled emotional outbursts
  • Trouble concentrating
  • Attentional issues
  • Sleep disturbances
  • Nightmares
  • Night terrors
  • Headaches
  • Difficulty with transitions in the day
Maintaining Mental Health:
  • Practicing good health habits is essential
  • Hand-washing while singing “Happy Birthday” twice (20 seconds)
  • Practice tolerating longer periods of mask wearing
  • Mask handling procedures
  • Have a designated place to store it
  • Remove by the ear loops
  • Washing hands thoroughly before and after handling the mask
  • Ensuring adequate sleep
  • Minimizing exposure to excessive media stories
  • Focus on what you can control
  • Allowing for free play
  • Meditation
  • Seeking help from loved ones or professionals if the anxiety becomes overwhelming

Making sure as parents and teachers that we monitor our own mental health in order to model healthy habits, behaviours and emotional responses

Here are 7 useful tips for educators to help teachers and students cope with back to school during the covid pandemic

https://www.anxietycanada.com/articles/7-tips-for-educators-returning-to-school-during-covid-19/
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