School Phobia: Condition or Excuse to Play Truant?

It is common today that children either fake illness to get out of going school or they simply decide to turn around at the school gates and head off somewhere else.

It is something that has happened for decades and with all the school incentives and government-set punishments for mainly the parents, it continues to happen. let us be honest, even as adults a majority of us have had times where we have vehemently refused to go.

There is of course the actual real illness. Lately with the onset of Swine Flu, many children are missing school with a genuine cause to do so as the illness is sweeping the world like wildfire. But, apart from the other genuine excuses not to attend, there is a minority who just will not go. Some hide behind the current Swine Flu epidemic whilst others just could care less.

BUT there is another group. A group of children we hear very little of. It is called “School Phobia” and is classed a recognised condition and has been since the 1960’s.

What is School Phobia?

The symptoms are pretty diverse but many will experience anxiety and usually are genuine with symptoms related to anxiety based issues such as stomach cramps, head che, nausea and cold sweats. Other can suffer from severe bouts of depression and any attempts by parents suspecting that their children are suffering from this mental condition could result in extreme behaviour such as scream, kicking and temper tantrums. It is overall distressing to both parents and the children who are suffering.

There will of course be many sceptics amongst us who would label these kids as truants and playing on a mild headache or feeling of ill health. But according to Nigel Blagg who is the author of School Phobia and its Treatment, such children are distinct in background and behaviour. Blagg is also a former educational authority psychologist who also runs his own private practice. 

Blagg’s opinions will probably surprise most of us when he mentions that such children suffering from this type of phobia are usually well behaved and socially conforming. He goes on to say that in life they are perhaps doing quite well and are in actual fact from caring families.

The author and psychologist was quick to add that the real truants were actually children who just didn’t want to go school and often such children would be involved in typical delinquent behaviour.