Case Study: Lumi Nova and Harris
How Harris overcame his worries about starting year 8 of school after using Lumi Nova.
“I think it’s great to have a video game that can help children with anxiety and it has really helped Harris. It has provided a focus and something that Harris can do to help himself in a structured way.”
Meet Harris, a 13-year boy from South East London
Harris is a 13-year boy from South East London who is described by his mum Meriel as being “sensitive, and empathetic”. Harris is highly creative, enjoys playing American football, and like most teenagers loves video games. When Harris was 8, he was diagnosed with Tourette’s syndrome, a condition known for involuntary verbal or physical tics. Tourette’s syndrome is often accompanied by anxiety, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). For individuals with mild Tourette’s symptoms, like Harris, these conditions often cause more distress than the tics.
Noticing the worries first start to emerge
In 2019, according to Meriel, “Harris became very anxious in the run-up to Year 7” as it meant starting a new school. He had attended a small local primary school where his teachers and classmates were very supportive. While many teenagers find the transition to secondary school a challenging time, for Harris, his condition added a significant layer of additional stress and worry about fitting in. He was particularly anxious about having to get the bus to school each day, and a compulsory school trip to France. While Harris’ tics - which include whistling, coughs, and squeaks - are well managed, and he can suppress them for long periods of the day, being on the school trip might expose the tics and his condition to his new classmates.
According to his mum, Meriel, “Harris’ anxiety began spiralling – he was having difficulties sleeping and began to ruminate and have intrusive thoughts over his anxieties about secondary school.”
Getting support through his school
Early in Year 7 after Harris had just started secondary school, Meriel spoke to the school about his concerns. His worries became exacerbated by the Coronavirus lockdown and apprehension about his return to year 8. Harris’ school suggested that he should try Lumi Nova. “Harris loves playing video games, so he was very keen to try out Lumi Nova and started working through the different goals in the programme.” says Meriel.
How Lumi Nova helped Harris feel more prepared to face his worries
Working on the challenges in Lumi Nova was “really good because we got to see my new school building and got me used to the idea of going back” explains Harris. He made fantastic progress during his first goal, even being able to participate in a photo shoot for the school prospectus. Harris is confident that Lumi Nova has helped him feel “more prepared” and since playing, he has proudly returned to school.
As Meriel explains, “I think it’s great to have a video game that can help children with anxiety and it has really helped Harris. It has provided a focus and something that Harris can do to help himself in a structured way. He’s enjoyed using the game and found it easy to use. From my perspective the game was also very useful and has helped to open up conversations that might have been difficult otherwise. ... It is a great way in for parents who might not understand what CBT [Cognitive Behavioural Therapy] is or who might be really busy with [other] kids [to consider].”
“Harris is confident that Lumi Nova has helped him feel “more prepared” and since playing, he has proudly returned to school.”