Separation anxiety in children is very common, especially those 8-14 months old, often recurring during toddler and preschool years. During these phases children are clingy and afraid of the unfamiliar. Excessive anxiety lasts more than a few weeks and can manifest in nightmares, headaches, stomachaches, and refusal to leave the caregiver.
How do You Know When Separation Anxiety Needs Professional Treatment?
Many things can cause separation anxiety in children including traumatic or stressful events, like a hospital stay for the child or a family member, the death of a pet, or even changing schools or houses.
If your child is going through or has been through a stressful or traumatic experience and is exhibiting signs of separation anxiety, it is a good idea to seek professional help and advice for how to appropriately help your child deal with his or her fears.
There are some things you can do to ease your child’s fears, such as:
- Practicing separation, especially after comforting
- Minimizing fanfare when leaving and keep goodbyes short
- Make new surroundings familiar
- Never sneak off
- Give your child a small task, like shutting the door when you leave for work
- Develop predictable routines and stick to them
If the above suggestions don’t help, it might be time to seek professional assistance. Long distance consulting is an option, or you can find a local professional.
We have developed an Anxiety Symptoms Checklist that will give you an immediate measurement of the severity of your child’s anxiety. Once you submit the results, you will receive our recommendations according to the score.
