Strep A and your child’s Anxiety

Recently media has been focusing on Strep A, Do you know the impact of this on your child’s anxiety?

Has your child asked you about Scarlet Fever? (They like this name better as it’s historically a dangerous disease).

What understanding do YOU think is going on within your child’s peer group? Some? None? Scaremongering? Fear?

As someone who works to support children and teens’ mental health, I believe we are perched on the edge of yet another media-driven anxiety crisis.

A number of children I am working with have told me they are ‘worrying‘ at night time, they feel ‘anxious‘ going to school, and they are concerned they might die.

After listening to them I got an understanding of the issues the children in our schools are facing.

Some students are actively telling their peers that they have been absent with ‘Scarlet Fever’ and could have died, when in reality, there are no cases and they have been off with a cold. Good laugh yeah?

Using NLP re-framing, and positive v negative thinking techniques, I have helped my clients understand the situation from a different perspective. Which sounds cooler? I was home with an upset tummy and runny nose, or, I had Scarlet Fever and could have died. It certainly makes them think!

How many more children are out there scared, believing that everyone with a sniffle near them could potentially kill them? Surely after Covid-19 they have been through enough.

An overheard news bulletin, an overseen clip on social media, car radio……. any of these can lead to misinterpretation, and it’s up to us, as adults, to make sure that children in our care are not living in fear.

Talk to your children, tell the truth, and speak to the school if necessary…….. Don’t let the young person in your care lose any more sleep over Chinese whispers surrounding Strep A.

 

For more information, you may wish to visit: NHS – Scarlet fever Symptoms