By Autumn Child, Arizona State University, Family and Human Development (M.S.). Part of Autumn’s Neurodivergent Blog Series for educators, written during her Parents2Partners internship.
I attended a webinar from the NJ Center for Tourette Syndrome, “Identifying and Supporting Children with Anxiety and OCD in the Classroom,” presented by Dr. Devora Scher, Psy.D. It fit perfectly with my goal of raising awareness of neurodiversity in schools. Here are the key takeaways for educators.
When anxiety becomes a problem
Anxiety is normal and often helpful. It becomes a concern when it is excessive and gets in the way of daily life and learning. Teachers never diagnose or treat anxiety or OCD. Our role is supportive, working closely with parents, who make treatment decisions with licensed professionals.
Signs to watch for
- Generalized anxiety: constant, shifting worries that make it hard to get work done.
- Social anxiety, which is more common in children: stomachaches or fear of doing something embarrassing.
- OCD: strong discomfort with uncertainty or doubt.
- Red flags for any of these: extreme perfectionism, heavy worry about grades or doing work “the right way,” avoiding participation for fear of being wrong, and in younger students, excessive erasing and rewriting.
The avoidance cycle
Avoiding what causes anxiety brings short term relief but keeps anxiety going. Caring adults can accidentally feed the cycle by giving excessive reassurance, excusing students from assignments, or allowing extra time for checking. Parents can fall into it too, because watching a child struggle is hard.
Supportive responses
Instead of avoidance, acknowledge the uncertainty and express confidence. If a student says, “I’m afraid I’ll fail this test. I don’t want to take it,” you might respond: “We can’t know for sure how it will go. I know it feels scary, and I’m confident you can handle it.” Model calm, show that it is okay not to have all the answers, and praise brave behavior.
With the right knowledge, teachers can help students with anxiety and OCD feel safe and thrive.