Helping your child control back-to-school anxiety

PALM DESERT. CALIF, (KESQ)- As students prepare to return to the classroom, the back to school transition can be an exciting time, but it can also bring stress and anxiety for many kids.

The start of a school year can bring new stressors, including academic pressure, new routines, social situations, and changes in expectations. The new school year impacts students mental health, what counselors are seeing, and what parents can do to help their children adjust.

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) says anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health conditions among children and adolescents. Shows that an estimated 31.9% of adolescents aged 13 to 18 experience an anxiety disorder.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that mental health challenges among young people remain a major concern, with many students experiencing persistent feelings of sadness, anxiety, or stress.

Nancy Mazmanian, Marriage & Family Therapist, From Hope & Healing Community Support said big transition's can make anxiety grow.

Recognixing the signs are important, such as, "headaches, stomach aches, loss of appetite, emotional outbursts for younger kids. Anything that tends to seem out of the ordinary and are not a part of their normal behavior," Mazmanian said.

Coachella Valley Unified School District, counselor Karina Vegas says changes like new classrooms and routines can bring anxious feelings for students

"there's a big difference between having anxiety and being anxious. And so helping students understand that anxious feeling is perfectly natural. However, if it starts to inhibit them from doing certain things, then that maybe is when it's time for them to get some help," said Vega.

The district says students have access to wellness centers and campus therapists to help provide support.