The return to school after a long summer holiday is a time of anxiety for children (and adults) of all ages. Low-grade nervousness and excitement at this time of year is normal, but for many children the anxiety is extreme, and for some, it doesn’t dissipate as the pattern of the school year falls into place.

Children express their anxiety in various ways. Tummy aches are among the most common expressions of anxiousness, but so are headaches, bed-wetting, inability to sleep, nightmares, hyperactive or aggressive behavior, tantrums, and excessive clinginess – to name just a few. The ability to articulate anxiety is difficult for many children and we need to learn to read their symptoms as expressions of their emotional state. Investigating the situation they find themselves in and the pressures they are experiencing is important. It can be helpful to talk through strategies for managing these situations and pressures, and at times, involve the school in discussion.

Talking doesn’t resolve all problems, and children with chronic anxiety issues, or chronic symptoms of anxiety such as those listed above need to be seen by a professional homeopath. Because homeopathy is holistic medicine – medicine that understands the link between emotional and physical states – it is particularly good for treating anxiety, especially in children.

However, “acute”, or temporary states of anxiety can be treated at home. Here are a few remedies that you might want to consider if your child is expressing nervous excitement or anxiety at the start of the new school year. Again, if these are common or recurring symptoms for your child, they should not be treated with acute remedies; a visit to a professional homeopath is strongly advised.

Pulsatilla

• An excellent remedy to use for children who find times of change difficult – this remedy can ease the way during such times.

• Children needing this remedy tend to be very sensitive, yielding, and highly emotional, needing lots of affection and support.

• Children display their anxiety by excessive clinginess and whining. Older children can become very quiet and moody.

• They may lie in bed with overactive minds, thinking the same thoughts over and over, especially at times of change in their lives. Once asleep, they tend to have anxious dreams with twitching of limbs.

Gelsemium

• This is a superb remedy for acute anticipatory anxiety in which the child seizes up with fear – trembling, stuttering, unable to think correctly.  Very useful before the first day of school (or camp), before exams, public speeches, performances, etc.

• I generally suggest giving this remedy the night before an event that is causing anxiety, and again the morning of the event.

Argentum Nitricum

• This remedy can look much like Gelsemium in that it has strong anticipatory anxiety with loose stools.

• Children needing this remedy are often overly emotional with vivid imaginations.

• Argentum Nitricum anxiety has to do with a dread of ordeals, and a strong lack of confidence about a new situation.

Calcaria Carbonicum

• Children needing this remedy tend to be happy and easy-going for the most part, but can get very anxious with worries about small things.

• They are usually easily distracted from their worries, but when left with time to think, will start worrying anew.

• Children needing this remedy are often slow, a bit sluggish, and almost always very obstinate – this trait being especially visible when worried.

• Calcaria children tend to perspire at night, especially around the head.

Arsenicum Album

• One of the most anxious remedies, usually used for chronic anxiety, but it has a place in short term, situational anxiety.

• Suited to high-strung children.

• Children needing this remedy will make lots of plans and organize themselves carefully to reduce their anxiety. They are likely to organize themselves, their clothes, their school supplies, their schedule impeccably – to assure that nothing goes wrong, nothing is out of their control.

• The anxiety will be accompanied by a great degree of restlessness – pacing, thrashing around in bed, general inability to stay still.

• They are also likely to be chilly with a cold perspiration on the forehead.

• Children needing this remedy may experience disturbed sleep when anxious – waking between midnight and 2 or 3 in the morning with anxiety.

Coffea Cruda

• Children needing this remedy will be over-sensitive and over-excited.

• Their sleep is likely to be effected by this state – children who are wildly happy and over-excited, with minds full of excitement and plans and therefore unable to sleep will benefit from taking this remedy before bed.

Unless otherwise directed, these remedies should be used in the 30ch potency. Suggested dosing is as follows: take a single pellet before bed, another the following morning on waking. Can be repeated for up to 3 days. If symptoms do not improved, do not continue dosing, but get professional advice. Stop the remedy as soon as symptoms disappear. If symptoms are especially severe, put 4 pellets into 8 oz of spring water and sip hourly for up to 6 hours. This is a good back-to-school regimen — a few pellets in a child’s water bottle can make the transition of that first day back to school much easier.