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Pediatrics Now is brought to you by the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and University Health's new Women's and Children's Hospital. Today, I'm bringing you a talk about school refusal from an expert in pediatric psychiatry. This talk is by Dr. Thomas Matthews, a pediatric psychiatrist with over 20 years of experience. He received his medical degree in 1997 from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and completed his internship, clinical fellowship, and residency there as well. He is currently the medical director of Clarity Outpatient Psychiatry.

Let's listen in.

Dr. Matthews discusses the importance of understanding learning performance, social interaction, and emotional well-being in children. He highlights the different learning styles and the importance of finding the right learning environment to prevent anxiety. He also explores the impact of COVID-19 on children's anxiety levels, particularly the need for social interaction and the challenges faced by introverted children.

Dr. Matthews explains the concept of school refusal, its signs, and common triggers such as transitions, bullying, and changes in family dynamics. He shares insights on how to identify specific school situations that cause anxiety and the importance of addressing these issues holistically.

He also provides practical tips on gradually increasing school attendance, managing reward-based school refusal, and the role of parents and schools in supporting children with anxiety. Additionally, Dr. Matthews emphasizes the need for a multifactorial approach to treatment, including therapy, family support, and, in some cases, medication.

The episode concludes with a discussion on the role of pediatricians in supporting families and the benefits of the T-Chat program for addressing school refusal.

We hope you've enjoyed this episode of Pediatrics Now. Click on the link for free credit if you're a practitioner. You can also email us with questions or episode ideas. That address is pediatricsnow at U-T-H-S-C-S-A dot E-D-U. We release a new episode every Friday. I'm Holly Wayment. I hope you can join us for our next episode.