School Refusal is on the rise and can be extremely disruptive to children/adolescents and their families. School Refusal is a term used to describe the behaviors of a child who refuses to go to school on a regular basis or has problems staying in school.  It is often a symptom of underlying anxiety and/or depression. Children with school refusal may complain of physical symptoms before school or ask to visit the school nurse. The symptoms usually disappear when the child stays home. School refusal is different than truancy, which involves hiding absences from parents and skipping classes for recreational reasons. School refusal can have both short- and long-term effects on the child's social, emotional, and academic development.