Separation Anxiety for Children :

Separation Anxiety for Children : Seperation anxiety considered as a normal part of growing up for children. Children can take a period suffering from seperation anxiety, but most of them get over it by attaining around the age of 3 years old. In some children, seperation anxiety considered as a sign of a more serious condition known as Separation anxiety disorder that begins at a young age before entering school.

If symptoms of separation anxiety in your child are severe or persist for a long time, especially if they affect his school or other daily activities, then he may suffer from separation anxiety disorder and symptoms and may include:

– Frequent and excessive disruption of being away from home or loved ones
– Constant and excessive anxiety about losing a parent or loved one due to illness or a problem
– Constant anxiety that something bas will happen to the child, such as being lost or kidnapped, of he is separated from the parents
– Refusing to move away from home due to fear of separation
– Not wanting to be alone, without a parent or loved one in the house
– Preventing or unwillingness to sleep far from home without a parent near it
– Frequent nightmares related to separation
– Frequent complaints of headache, stomach pain or other symptoms that occur when separation from a parent is expected

Separation anxiety disorder usually treated with psychotherapy, sometimes with medication. Psychotherapy such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) includes an effective form of psychotherapy for separation anxiety disorder. Your child can learn how to face and manage fears about separation. Parents can also learn how to support emotionally and encourage age-appropriate independence.
Sometimes, it may be helpful to combine medications with cognitive behavioral therapy if symptoms are severe. Antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may be an option for older children and adults.

 

prepared Dr . Rania Elbaz