Somehow, my bright, well-adjusted grade 7 son began to have anxiety about going to school. We don’t know why. When he wasn’t in panic attack mode, you would think he is the most well-adjusted kid out there. Within a few months, he was completely unable to go to school at all. We quickly began to look for help. Family doctor gave us a scolding and refused to refer us to a specialist. We went to one therapist after another, spending almost $10,000 out of pocket. We went to the Ministry of Children and Families and got put on a waiting list that was over a year long. Eventually, we walked into the ER and begged them to find us a doctor who would treat our son. The experience was one of the most terrifying, confusing, isolating experiences we have had. We didn’t get criticism to our faces, but friends fell away. Why? Why was it so hard? Why wouldn’t anyone help us?
School Phobia and Exclusion
Youth Mental Health Canada
