As children around the Hudson Valley gear up for day one of school, they may be experiencing some anxiety, often associated with returning to school.

Dr. Abraham Bartell, a psychiatrist at the Maria Fareri Children's Hospital in Valhalla, says some of the ways you can combat anxiety is by working on sleep patterns, decreasing television time and reading a little bit more.

Dr. Bartell also stresses the importance of keeping the lines of communication open. "You don't want to forbid talking about it, you don't want to force it, you want to follow their lead and whenever possible, control the flow of information."

Dr. Bartell says in some cases, a child fears bullying or is a victim of bullying, which can trigger anxiety and impact school performance.

Doctors suggest parents help their children focus on positive things about going back to school, such as seeing friends, new classes and extracurricular activities.