BacktoCampusCare: What to Know Before You Go

Children and teens face challenges that can bring excitement, stress and sometimes anxiety. A new school year, changing friendships and academic pressures can feel overwhelming.

Some stress is a normal part of growing up. In fact, it helps kids develop resilience and prepare for new experiences. When worry begins affecting a child's ability to learn, sleep, socialize or enjoy activities, they may need additional support.

The good news is that parents can play an important role in helping kids recognize their feelings and build healthy coping skills.

1. Listen & validate feelings

When children express fears or worries, parents often want to make them feel better. While encouragement is good, listening first and validating can help children feel understood.

Try asking open-ended questions about what's causing stress and acknowledge their feelings without judgment. A simple response such as, “I can see why that would make you nervous,” can go a long way toward helping your child feel supported.

Parents can also talk through upcoming situations and set expectations with their child. When it's time to start something new, knowing what to expect can reduce uncertainty. Having these conversations can also reveal whether a child is experiencing typical stress or something more persistent.

2. Recognize the signs of anxiety

Some children talk openly about feelings. For others, it shows up differently.

“Anxiety doesn't always look like worry," said Dr. Shital Gaitonde, Wellstar Children’s of Georgia clinical child and adolescent psychologist. "Sometimes it shows up physically through headaches or stomachaches.”

She said other children may have trouble sleeping or seem more emotional than usual: “You may also notice more worrying, clinginess or difficulty separating from parents.”

Signs of anxiety in children include:

• Worrying
• Frequent headaches or stomachaches
• Changes in appetite
• Difficulty sleeping
• Irritability or emotional outbursts
• Difficulty concentrating
• Avoiding school or activities
• Worsening school performance
• Repeatedly seeking reassurance
• Clinginess to parents

“It's normal to have stress; it's not normal to have anxiety,” said  Wellstar Children’s of Georgia Pediatrician Dr.  Andrew Doyle. "Understandably you get nervous with new situations that make you uncomfortable, but you're still able to do it and have fun. Significant anxiety starts to interfere with a child’s or teen's ability to do what they need to do—homework, school, social situations. That's when it's helpful to get it checked out.”

3. Create routines that build confidence

Children often feel more secure when they know what to expect. Consistent routines can be especially important during transitions.
“One of the best things parents can do is start talking about school before the first day," Dr. Gaitonde said. “A little reassurance now can help make the transition back to school easier.”

Parents can support children by:

• Establishing consistent bedtimes and wake-up times
• Talking through what the day will bring
• Visiting a new environment when possible
• Checking in regularly about friendships and academics
• Building downtime into busy schedules
• Encouraging independence in age-appropriate ways

Avoiding stressful situations may provide temporary relief, but it can make anxiety stronger over time.

Dr. Kayla Fitch, a behavioral health specialist works alongside pediatricians at Wellstar Children's of Georgia pediatricians.

“One of the things I'm the most passionate about is early anxiety treatment for kids. We can help kids when they're 4, 5, 6 years old,” she said. “I teach parents basic concepts around how to expose their children to anxiety-producing situations to decrease their anxiety.”

With guidance and support, children can learn to face challenging situations gradually, developing confidence and resilience over time.

The main role of a primary care clinician is to keep you healthy at every age and stage of life. To keep you feeling your best, these experts are trained to:

• Get to know and understand your unique health needs. Your primary care team can keep you on track with your individual wellness goals, whether you are planning to start a family, need help managing a chronic illness or want to maintain a healthy weight.
• Coordinate care and provide referrals for specialists. Your primary care team can quickly and seamlessly get you in touch with the robust network of medical experts, such as cardiologists, oncologists, neurologists and more at Wellstar.
• Keep you up-to-date on immunizations and vaccinations. You can build up your body’s immunity to common diseases and protect your health with the latest vaccines, all ordered by your primary care clinician.
• Order appropriate health screenings, diagnostic tests and follow-up care. If your wellness check-up reveals certain risk factors, chronic conditions or new diagnoses, your primary care clinician can help you get the right treatment fast.
• Treat you for acute illnesses, such as colds or the flu. When you feel under the weather, your established primary care clinician can often get you an appointment sooner so you can feel better.

Learn more about primary care at Wellstar.

Leaders from Augusta University and the Medical College of Georgia visited Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center June 24 to highlight the continued growth of a metro Atlanta training program focused on preparing the next generation of physicians—and to hear directly from the students experiencing it.

The visit, part of Augusta University President Russell T. Keen’s Summer Tour, included conversations with third- and fourth-year medical students completing clinical training at the MCG Atlanta campus. Leaders checked in on student progress and gathered feedback on their day-to-day experiences working alongside physicians in one of the state’s busiest hospitals.

For Adrian Bozocea, a third-year medical student and a 2020 graduate of Wheeler High School, the experience carries special meaning. He was born at Wellstar Kennestone.

“It’s a crazy, full-circle moment, knowing that the culmination of my hard work has allowed me to serve in the community that’s built me up and made me who I am,” he said.

Bozocea said training in a familiar community adds a personal connection to patient care.

“It’s a nice feeling knowing you’re helping someone who has potentially served you at a restaurant or helped you find an item in a store,” he said.

Students at Wellstar Kennestone rotate through multiple specialties and locations as part of their training. Bozocea has already completed rotations in family medicine and obstetrics and is now in internal medicine, describing the experience as both rigorous and rewarding. He said what sets the Atlanta campus apart is its strong culture of learning.

“Every clinician is great at teaching. They’re passionate about what they do, and there’s a real culture of learning here,” he said.

Since opening in 2025, the Wellstar Kennestone campus has expanded its reach and capabilities. Dr. Louis Lovett, associate dean of the campus, said the program has strengthened its faculty by appointing Wellstar physicians to clinical teaching roles and adding new electives in surgical and medical subspecialties to complement six core rotations required of all students.

“We’re building a comprehensive training environment that prepares students to meet real-world healthcare needs,” Dr. Lovett said. “By combining strong core rotations with expanded electives and simulation-based learning, we’re giving them the skills and confidence to step into practice ready to care for patients.”

Dr. Lovett has also taken a hands-on approach with students, Bozocea said, frequently checking in and helping connect them with physicians in their areas of interest.

“He’s dedicated to students and passionate about his job,” Bozocea said.

Students gain experience across disciplines, including internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, neurology and psychiatry, while also training in simulation labs that allow them to practice procedures and patient interactions in a supervised setting.

Several students training at Wellstar Kennestone have ties to Cobb County and have expressed interest in returning to the area after graduation—an outcome leaders say reflects the value of training physicians in the communities they may one day serve.

For Bozocea, that path feels especially fitting: a future physician gaining hands-on experience in the same hospital where his own story began.