Separation Anxiety In Children – How To Help Your Child Overcome It

Separation Anxiety is a form of high tension or stress that is caused by an imminent event or previous experiences that require the victim to be in a situation where they have to be separated from an object or person that they are particularly attached to. This is most frequently seen in adolscents and children, who bond to toys and family members easier than adults. The comfort of a familiar object or person creates an increased agitation at the notion that they will have to give it up, which can result in the symptoms of the anxiety lasting anywhere up to four weeks. Usually, however, the symptoms tend to pass in only a handful of weeks. It should be noted, however, that there are indeed cases where the symptoms simply remain or may even grow.

The usual symptoms that teens and children will feel are emotions of intense anxiety, an increased difficulty in sleeping, tantrums, nightmares that involved the separated person or object, and a kind of homesickness. Not all symptoms are merely mental, as there can be a variety of psychosomatic reactions that include dizziness, headaches, stomach aches, and vomiting.

It’s usually during the disruption of a child’s typical routine that the anxiety symptoms set in the most frequently. For example, if a child is starting in a new school, whether for the first time or following a transfer, they can find themselves feeling many of these anxiety symptoms. Naturally, the feelings can also arise if the child is forced into a move to a new home, especially if it’s to a new locale like a city or country. severe changes in the child’s life style can also antagonize feelings of separation anxiety, such as a divorce as the person yearns for the presence of whichever parent they are not currently living with.

Observation is the first recommended step in treatment. Parents are told to watch and determine how long children need to adjust to the absence of their object and their new surroundings. If there’s no indication that the anxiety is going to subside, professional help is highly recommended, especially if the condition appears to worsen.

Usually, a series of tests and questions will be posed to determine if the symptoms warrant medical assistance. Evaluation is often prescribed when a child actively seeks to avoid integrating in social activities with others in his environment regardless of the time spent there. With the aid of the parents and other adults, children can have the affects of the anxiety minimized over time. It is important to understand that among the driving feelings of Separation Anxiety is a fear of being separated from something that the child has intimately bonded with such as family and friends, therefore it is important to help the child overcome these worries and fears.

About the Author

Abhishek is a Stress Management expert and he has got some great Stress Management Secrets up his sleeves! Download his FREE 90 Pages Ebook, “How To Win Your War Against Stress!” from his website http://www.Positive-You.com/507/index.htm . Only limited Free Copies available.

Separation Anxiety