Page 6 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • September 4, 2013 Area West Bergen offers help with back-to-school issues For many children, fall is an exciting time of new begin- nings. There are new clothes to look for, new supplies to buy, and new friends to make. For some youngsters, start- ing a new school year is a difficult and challenging transi- tion causing anxiety and stress for both the children and their parents. What are normal worries about starting the new school year versus worries that may require professional help? According to Danielle Heller, LCSW, clinical director for West Bergen’s Center for Children and Youth in Ramsey, these are the two questions parents frequently ask at the beginning of any school year. “Students face many adjustments in school,” Heller explained. “From year to year, there are changes in teach- ers, classrooms, class rules, difficulty of the work, and peers. One of the challenges of growing up is learning to successfully navigate these changes.” Although some children are very concerned about schoolwork, many children report more anxiety about friends. They want a group of friends at school who will accept them and want to be around them – whether playing on the playground in kindergarten or walking around the halls in high school. Many children find healthy ways of handling emotions on their own, but others may require some professional intervention. “Knowing when to seek help for your child is not an easy decision,” Heller explained. As the school year continues, the struggling child often exhibits a variety of symptoms that cause concern. Among them are: • Frequent excuses not to go to school, such as saying he or she is sick or too tired. • Refusing to talk about school. When asked about the school day, he or she may simply shrug it off, walk away, or change the subject. • Acting out in school or at home. • Developing a pattern of not doing homework. • Increase in neediness, regressing developmentally, Alan Koenig, LPC, ADHD coordinator; Kerry Plokhoy, LCSW, staff therapist; Danielle Heller, LCSW, clinical director; Helena Fotopoulos, LPC, staff therapist; Peggy Scheulen, administrative coordinator; Christie Laoudis, access clinician; Veronica Gioffre, access clinician; Giselle Delacruz, administrative assistant; Eva Bland, administrative assistant; Julie Sisselman, LSW, staff therapist; and Roseanne Trapani, LMFT, staff therapist. (Photo courtesy of TKL Marketing, Ho-Ho-Kus.) and behaving as though they were much younger. • Distant or depressed behavior. • Difficulty in carrying out a teacher’s instructions independently and being fearful of asking for help. • Lacking appropriate social skills, which may make them a target for bullying and name-calling. • Socially anxious and withdrawn in public – preferring to spend time alone. According to Heller, parents should not delay if they suspect their child may be struggling in school. “Too many parents wait until the signs of trouble have already caused their child too much pain and needless suf- fering,” she added. Established in 1990, the Children’s Center provides youngsters (ages two through 18) and their parents a wide array of counseling and psychiatric services. For further information about West Bergen’s Center for Children and Youth, call (201) 934-1160.