Your 11-year-old daughter was excited to start middle school. But a few weeks into sixth grade, the school counselor calls to tell you that your daughter had a panic attack. A few months later, the counselor calls to report a second incident. What can you do? And what can the school do to help?
Many students experience anxiety or emotional distress at school. Sometimes, these feelings show up as a panic attack. While a one-time panic event at school likely isn’t cause for concern, a pattern could interfere with your child’s education.
This article helps parents understand what panic attacks are, what they can look like at school, and how they can affect academic outcomes. It also discusses how schools can help. Finally, it discusses how a therapeutic school in NYC can help your family.
Panic Attacks: The Basics
According to the Mayo Clinic, “A panic attack is a sudden episode of intense fear that triggers severe physical reactions when there is no real danger or apparent cause.” People who experience panic attacks often report feelings of terror, loss of control, “suffocation,” detachment from reality, and even fear of death. Physically, many people report a racing heartbeat and chest palpitations. Other physical symptoms include:
- Chills or Hot Flashes
- Dizziness
- Hyperventilating
- Nausea
- Numbness or tingling in fingers or toes
- Stomach
- Trembling or shaking
Panic attacks are usually triggered by a specific event. This can be a new experience, such as speaking in public for the first time, or a memory of a past trauma.
Panic Attacks in Adolescents: Why They Happen
Panic attacks are quite common during middle and high school. The changes caused by hormonal shifts during puberty play a role. Also, experts note that the brain’s fear center (the amygdala) develops well before the brain’s regulation system (the prefrontal cortex).
In addition, middle school is usually the first time that students feel pressure to comply with the expectations of people outside of their families. Finally, in high school, getting good grades – whether to play sports or get college scholarships – becomes more important.
Panic Attacks in Adolescents: Triggers and Symptoms at Home and at School
Home and School Panic Attack Triggers
While every child is different, some of the situations at home that make panic attacks more likely include:
- High parental expectations
- Major life changes (e.g., a new school, divorce)
- Family arguments and conflict
- Illness or death
- Lack of consistent sleep routines
At school, common triggers can include:
- Academic pressure
- Fear of rejection by peers
- Bullying
- New teachers or classrooms
- Loud noises and other stimulants
- Deadlines
- Timed tests
School-Specific Panic Attack Symptoms
At school, these triggers may cause unique symptoms. In addition to the physical symptoms listed above, students with panic attacks may also:
- Leave the classroom frequently (perhaps to help calm themselves down)
- Make frequent visits to the school nurse
- Walk out during a test, presentation, or other school assignment
- Avoid groups, classes, or events that triggered a prior episode
How Panic Attacks Can Affect School Progress
Panic attacks can affect students in many ways. The most obvious impact is that students lose valuable instructional time before, during, and after a panic attack. In addition, affected students may:
- Lose focus or concentration
- Lose information because the panic attack disrupts their working memory
- Draw a “blank” when answering a question
- Have difficulty with timed tests and assignments
- Withdraw from school events in an attempt to reduce embarrassment
Over time, these factors can cause a student to fall behind in school. Worse, it can lead to lower engagement with school, decreased confidence, or even school refusal.
How Parents Can Get Help for Students with Panic Attacks
If your student experiences panic attacks at school, special education laws can help. To get help under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, you’ll need to prove that the panic attacks interfere with a substantial life activity such as attending school. To get services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), you’ll need to show that the panic attacks negatively impact the child’s academic performance and that they need a specialized educational setting. In determining whether services are necessary, educators will consider whether the panic attacks:
- Prevent the student from completing coursework
- Interfere with concentration during classes or tests
- Cause the student to leave the classroom
- Require the student to move to a quiet area
- Affect school attendance
- Make it difficult for the student to transition between classes or subjects
Parents should note that panic attacks and panic disorder are not listed as qualifying disabilities under the IDEA or Section 504. However, many students with anxiety and other panic-related issues get IDEA services by using categories such as Emotional Disturbance or Other Health Impairment.
How Schools Can Help Students Who Have Panic Attacks
If your student qualifies for services under Section 504 or the IDEA, you’ll get a 504 Plan or an Individualized Education Program (IEP). Once this plan or program is approved, your student might be eligible for services such as:
- Extra time on tests or assignments
- A designated “calm down” space
- Permission to leave the classroom to visit the counselor or calming area when panic symptoms begin
- Scheduled visits with the school counselor or school psychologist
While most traditional schools can make these and other changes for your child, a therapeutic school can provide these services at a higher level. For instance, in a therapeutic school, therapy is part of the school day, so your student won’t lose instruction time while visiting with the counselor. These individual and group sessions can help your child learn to recognize their panic attack symptoms and learn to regulate them.
Additionally, therapeutic schools have smaller classes. Smaller classes mean that each child is more likely to receive attention from an adult. As such, teachers in therapeutic schools are more likely to recognize the early signs of anxiety in their students and help manage them.
Finally, therapeutic schools incorporate social-emotional learning into each school day. Not only does this help individual students learn to manage their emotions, but it also helps all students learn to treat others with kindness and respect. As such, students at therapeutic schools are less likely to suffer stigma after a panic attack or other emotional episode.
If your child has frequent panic attacks and your family is looking for a new school, consider Academics West. Our therapeutic school on the Upper West Side specializes in using proven methods to help every student become the hero of their own story. Learn more by watching our virtual tour. Then, call 212-580-0080 or use our booking tool to schedule an in-person visit.
