I am Tuhin Chatterjee, father of Teertha Chatterjee. My son Teertha is 4.5 years old. Teertha first started going to play school at the age of about 2 years. He used to cry a lot in the first few weeks at play school and not want to go to school. But subsequently, he settled down quite well at play school and competed play school in Jan 2010 as a very smart and positive child.

He started going to junior school in Lower KG from April 2010 in a new school. From the very first day at school he adjusted very well and did not cry at all. School re opened after a 2 month summer break on 14.06.2010. He again went to school very happily. But he was down with a boil inside his nose and very high fever from 16.06.2010 and hence could not attend school. He was on antibiotics for about a week and went back to school on 21.06.2010 (Monday). But from Tuesday onwards he started complaining that he feels very afraid whenever his teacher goes away from the class and hence he does not want to go to school. We tried to discuss with him that what happens when his teacher goes away, does any other child beat him, say something to him or what. But he says that no one does anything, but he feels very afraid whenever teacher goes away from the class even for 5 minutes. He even went on say that we should request the ayah to come to the class when his teacher goes away.

The problem has become more and more acute and now he is got into a depression/anxiety kind of a situation. He is crying all the time and keeps on saying the same things (teacher should not go away from the class). He has stopped laughing, playing, eating properly, watching his favorite TV show. Now that we have told him that he need not go to school till he feels o.k , yet he keeps on talking about the problem at school and that he will never go to school.

Please advise on how to handle this situation.