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12 year old refusing to go to certain lessons

GG12345

Looking for some advice really. My 12 year old daughter is refusing to go to her science lessons as they are learning about germs and diseases and she has massive anxiety about this. I'm happy for her to miss these lessons but the school wants to get her to attend. Any tips or advice to help her would be appreciated .

  • in reply to Martin

    I like how you put that. I'll find her some information (she loves reading) on how germs can actually help. Thank you Thumbsup tone3 

  • in reply to GG12345

    Most antibiotics are derived from microorganisms, bacteria and fungi. If we were not able to access microorganisms we would not be able to prevent and cure infectious disease. At present 'germs', and I hate the word, are a frightening unknown for your daughter, ironically knowledge of them would make them understandable and therefore less frightening.

  • in reply to TheCatWoman

    Thanks for the reply. Will ask the school for some counselling for her. It wouldn't stop the initial worrying though as she is a massive germaphobe.

  • in reply to Martin

    Thanks for that. I've explained to her how we do have cures for diseases but in her head the worrying takes over about how she can catch anything Pensive

  • I'd talk to the school about it and really explain to them why this si so problematic for her, maybe try and get her some pschological support too, the school might be mroe willing to let her off these lessons if they feel you're trying to get help for her with it?

    It could be that learning about germs and diseases could make her feel more empowered to deal with her anxiety? But then people seep trying to tell me good things about spiders and it never works, I start retching, long before any information sinks in.

  • Autistic people experience higher levels  of anxiety than the general population, so anxiety problems are to be expected. I think that a a one-to-one talk from the the science teacher to your daughter about beneficial microorganisms, gut flora etc., might be a good idea. An explanation that just because diseases exist, it does not mean that your daughter will get them. Or that they will have a particularly bad effect if she does, as most infectious diseases have reliable cures these days.