the connection between mental health and school performance

One of the questions I hear most often:
"Does my child have something 'real' like a learning disorder? Or is he just anxious/depressed/ stressed?"

What if we could think about it a different way?  If a child is struggling with academic performance, any reason for the struggle is real.  
​

---

We are "wired" in a way that everything is connected.  Signals from our brains, transmitted through chemicals,  control the communication from all parts of our bodies.  If you sprain your ankle, the signals from your brain notify you that it hurts.  If you are trying to solve a complex problem, your brain works on the problem in different ways and from different perspectives constantly, trying to solve the problem - some researchers believe that dreams are a way our brain continues to work on solving problems even when we are asleep.  In the same way, intense feelings and emotions are communicated through chemicals in our brain.  These chemical signals are not just connected to the areas in our brains that "feel", but also the areas that "think", solve problems, communicate with other people, and even communicate with other parts of our bodies.  Emotions also have physical (or "somatic") symptoms - feeling tired, loss of appetite, physical pain, nausea, or muscle tension, for example. 

Our mental health is intimately connected with our ability to function in other areas of life.  In fact, one of the criteria for diagnosis of almost every mental illness is that it impacts our ability to function in various settings (work, school, home).  Children are no different.

When I work with a child, I explain that I am a lady who helps with "big feelings".  Little brains that are overwhelmed by big feelings have a difficult time focusing on day-to-day tasks, like chores at home, or schoolwork.  If you are extremely anxious about your situation at home, completing a math worksheet seems unimportant.  "Big feelings" can impact school performance just as significantly as a learning or attention disorder.  

For those who are into research, a quick internet search of "mental health and academics" will show the positive impact of supporting a child's journey toward positive mental health on their academic functioning.