Children's Morning Stomach Aches May Signal New Semester Syndrome

A parent who enrolled their first child in elementary school this year has been battling school drop-off struggles for a week. Every morning, the child complains of stomach pain and visits the bathroom repeatedly, yet produces no urine. The family has nearly been late on several occasions. Experts identify this as a classic symptom of "new semester syndrome."

On the 9th, Seoul Asan Medical Center and other medical institutions warned guardians that more children are reporting anxiety and physical symptoms after being placed in new environments due to school enrollment and semester starts. Typical cases include children refusing to go to school because they don't want to separate from parents, requesting to go home during class, or repeatedly experiencing physical symptoms such as stomachaches and headaches without clear cause. If symptoms persist for more than four weeks, early intervention is necessary as the condition may develop into separation anxiety disorder.

When symptoms intensify to the point where children fear "never seeing their parents again" and struggle to adapt to daily life, they may be diagnosed with separation anxiety disorder. This is the most common anxiety disorder in children under 12, with highest incidence at ages 7-8 when school life begins. Beyond a child's temperament, parental overprotection, excessive interference, and unstable parent-child attachment increase the risk of onset.

Experts recommend a gradual approach rather than abrupt separation when maladaptive symptoms such as school refusal appear. The method involves initially accompanying the child to their classroom seat, then progressively increasing separation distance—from the classroom door to the hallway entrance, building entrance, and finally the school gate. Managing parents' own anxiety is also essential. When parents show signs of anxiety, children's anxiety increases as well. Parents should maintain consistent, calm attitudes while trusting that their child can manage well.

Professional treatment should be sought if maladaptation becomes prolonged or tic symptoms become pronounced. Most tics do not require treatment as they rarely affect daily functioning, but visiting a hospital is advisable if they cause stress for the child or parents, or draw attention from peers.

Professor Lee Tae-yeop of the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Seoul Asan Medical Center said, "Separation anxiety disorder improves when the ability to manage anxiety develops through attention and treatment from those around them." He added, "The most important thing is to carefully observe and acknowledge the child's difficulties and emotions."

He continued, "The fact that parents fully understand their feelings reassures the child. It's best to empathize with and discuss the child's difficulties, then ask what kind of help they need."