By: Ann Helmus, Ph.D.
NESCA Founder/Director
The return to school, whether remotely or in person, will be a transition that is bound to be stressful for many children and adolescents as well as their parents and teachers. Coming on the heels of five stressful months of lockdown, remote learning, loss of social contact and so many other changes, children will be meeting this challenge with depleted resources for coping with stress and may show new signs of anxiety or mood issues. This will be particularly true for children and adolescents who have underlying issues with mental health, attention or learning. Prioritizing the mental health of students and focusing on providing emotional support will be key to helping children manage the transition back to school. “When children feel connected, they’re going to learn better, do better, stay on track,” commented Dr. Nadine Kaslow, professor of psychiatry at Emory School of Medicine and past president of the American Psychological Association, in this article. She emphasized that “loving warm interactions need to take precedence” over struggling with them about behavior or about schoolwork.” Remembering that undesirable behaviors are often driven by emotional distress and are a form of communication can be helpful for parents in responding in a positive and supportive manner. As we continue through this period of unprecedented levels of stress and change, children need to feel connected to and supported by their parents even more than is usual; maintaining this connection is far more important than any academic goals, no matter how far behind parents fear their child is as a result of the interruption to regular schooling.
If you have concerns about your child’s mental health, clinicians at NESCA are available for expert consultation or evaluation of your child’s emotional functioning so that the appropriate supports can be put in place. This work can be done either through teletherapy or in-person through contactless evaluations in all three of our locations (Newton and Plainville, MA and Londonderry, NH). NESCA has several suites in which there is a large plexiglass panel in the shared wall between two offices so that the child/parent and evaluator/therapist are in separate offices but have the benefit of full visibility and communication through headphones. For more information, please view, “Testing in the Age of COVID-19” on our Video Resources page.
If you have questions about your child’s mental health and would like professional help, please reach out to Dot Lucci, M.Ed., CAGS: dlucci@nesca-newton.com for an intake and screening.
About the Author:
NESCA Founder/Director Ann Helmus, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical 
neuropsychologist who has been practicing for almost 20 years. In 1996, she jointly founded the Children’s Evaluation Center (CEC) in Newton, Massachusetts, serving as co-director there for almost ten years. During that time, CEC emerged as a leading regional center for the diagnosis and remediation of both learning disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorders.
In September of 2007, Dr. Helmus established NESCA (Neuropsychology & Education Services for Children & Adolescents), a client and family-centered group of seasoned neuropsychologists and allied staff, many of whom she trained, striving to create and refine innovative clinical protocols and dedicated to setting new standards of care in the field.
Dr. Helmus specializes in the evaluation of children with learning disabilities, attention and executive function deficits and primary neurological disorders. In addition to assessing children, she also provides consultation and training to both public and private school systems. She frequently makes presentations to groups of parents, particularly on the topics of non-verbal learning disability and executive functioning.
To book an evaluation with Dr. Helmus, NESCA Founder and Director, or one of our many other expert neuropsychologists or therapists, complete NESCA’s online intake form.
Neuropsychology & Education Services for Children & Adolescents (NESCA) is a pediatric neuropsychology practice and integrative treatment center with offices in Newton and Plainville, Massachusetts, as well as Londonderry, New Hampshire. NESCA serves clients from preschool through young adulthood and their families. For more information, please email info@nesca-newton.com or call 617-658-9800.
