Homeopathy

Back to School: Useful Remedies for Anxiety in Kids 

Going back to school after a long stay at home can be exciting and at the same time worrying for parents and kids. Preschool children (ages 4-6) might feel separation anxiety. Kids at the Elementary years (ages 7-11) might experience health related and social anxiety during school days. Thanks to homeopathy, we can help our kids to navigate through those emotional waves and help them reach the right balance. This article presents different homeopathic remedies that can be useful for addressing different forms of children anxieties.

 

Separation Anxiety:

A general observation since covid-19 is the increase of kids attachment and bonding to their parents.As a result, it might be common for children to feel uncomfortable or anxious when leaving their parents. The reason for this anxiety could be the anticipated school experience or separation from parents with whom they spent a lot of time during the pandemic. Each child will also be unique in the way they express their anxieties.

No doubt, it would be a reassuring feeling if parents know a safe tool exists that can support them in addressing their kids’ anxieties through a back-to-school new transitional phase. Below are a number of homeopathic remedies for different expressions of anxiety.

Pulsatilla remedy could be indicated if the child becomes weepy, clingy, timid, easily afraid of being alone or of being in the dark or if their fears start in the evening time. It could also be indicated if the child feels better with consolation, is flexible to suggestions and feels better with open fresh air.

Silica remedy could  help comfort your child during the first week of school if he/she feels low in energy, dislikes public crowded areas, is shy, needs some encouragement, is stubborn, his/her palms and soles sweat easily and are generally chilly.

The Remedy Lycopodium could ease the child anxiety toward other new kids if your child is irritable on waking, refuses company and friends, likes the caregiver to be near him just for comfort, is alarmed in the presence of new people, prefers to only be with those he/she knows well. Always the remedy can be helpful if your kid is nervous or anxious when learning a new task but usually ends up excelling in it. Additionally, Lycopodium can help if your child complains from gastro-intestinal problems such as indigestion, gases, bloating and constipation, and craves warm foods and drinks. 

Health Anxiety:

Aside from separation anxiety, older kids who understand more about the virus might get worried about their own health. They might overthink before touching anything or overuse the hand sanitizer and hand washing. If this is the case with your child, the remedy Aresenicum can help them.

Aresenicum works on anxieties that makes the child restless and cannot sit still, have a need to feel occupied or if they are easily scared and are always on  their nerves. It is also useful if they are organized and like their space to be tidy, tend to be fussy and picky, are very sensitive to smell, touch and noise, and are easily excited. Complaining of a burning pain is an indication that this is the right remedy.

Another remedy is Calcarea-Carbonica. This remedy is useful for a child whose anxiety is manifested through fear - he/she is scared of everything that might affect her health, is in a constant state of anticipation and are afraid that whatever action she does can make her catch the virus. In addition, the child might feel mentally and physically tired, weak, unable to focus and is low in energy. Complaining that her hands and feet are cold all the time accompanied and of constipation are indicative of this remedy.

Ensuring that young children worries toward their own health stays proportional to the actual situation is one of the best ways to keep them safe and healthy physically and mentally.

 

Social anxiety:

In addition to health anxiety, social anxiety is a normal consequence of the pandemic. Young children might get on their nerves or feel butterflies in their stomach when meeting a larger group of friends and colleagues.

Helping our kids with social anxieties — raising their confidence, self-esteem and overall energy levels, and improving their mood — is a reassuring feeling for the caregiver. Here are some remedies that can help with that.

If your child finds it hard to fit in a group, is uncomfortable being in class and feels isolated or left out, then the remedy Natum-Carbonicum could steer those feelings away. A feeling of  lower self-esteem, finding it hard to speak, throat heaviness and feeling anxious around school friends are all symptoms that can be relieved with Natrum-Carbonicum.

On the other hand, the remedy Argentum-Nitricum would be a good choice if a child worries about performance in front of the class and gets anxious before presenting, reading or talking loudly to a group of people. This anxiety is related to how the child performs and can end up affecting his performance - Argentum-nitricum helps the child to feel calmer and less intense during those moments.

 

Remedy + Food + Sleep Equation:

In addition to the right remedies, food and sleep are crucial variables that can positively influence our kids’ anxieties. The more fresh, colorful, processed-sugar-free their diet is, and the more structured their daily meals are — having them at the same time every day — the better off they’ll be in dealing with anxiety. Having your kids participate in cooking creates awareness about food and its nutrients and helps them adopt the new healthy habits.

As for sleep, a bedtime routine that includes a bath, a story, a song, a relaxing body stretch and ends with a kiss and a cuddle daily at the same time makes it easier for children to fall asleep. A good sleep is around straight 10 hours of night sleep preferably in a dark room. Those habits with the use of the right homeopathic remedy will empower kids with the energy and strength to overcome any anxiety.

 

**Disclaimer** For accurate prescription, totality of the mental, emotional and physical symptoms need to be collected by a practitioner. Additionally, individualization is a key concept in prescribing the remedy. Therefore Always consult a homeopath practitioner to prescribe the right remedy for you.

 

Bio:

Aya Ibrahim is a Registered Classical Homeopath graduated from Ontario College of Homeopathic Medicine. Aya specilaizes in children and women's health conditions and practices in the Greater Toronto Area in Ontario.

 

She embarked on the journey of homeopathy four years ago when her daughter had chronic constipation as an infant and only homeopathy healed her condition. Since then, she has been helping mothers and children experience how homeopathy can improve for the health and development of women and children.