Child Separation Anxiety: Does Your Child Have It?

If you are a parent, then more than likely you may face the common problem of separation anxiety in your child. What exactly is child separation anxiety? In a nutshell, this is the type of anxiety or stress your child may encounter when you leave him/her alone and they get upset or cry due to the separation involved. The reason they get upset or cry is because the child learns to remember objects or specific people, and when those objects or people become absent, anxiety sets in.

The separation can be scary to a child because they are not sure if you are leaving them for good. They are more aware of you being around all the time and used to it. What they aren't familiar with is you leaving and returning.

In most cases, this type of separation anxiety or stress is very common. But, if it persists, it may become chronic and have lasting effects on the child down the road.

Typical instances when your child may face separation anxiety may be when you drop your son or daughter off at the babysitters or even during those first few days of daycare or school. The child will typically cry, become withdrawn, and be difficult to deal with.

So the big question is, when does separation anxiety with your child need to be looked at more closely?

And most importantly, what should be done to stop it early so it doesn't have lasting effects on the child as they get older?

One must remember when dealing with a child with child separation anxiety, anxiety can be contagious. The more you show it, the more your child will pick up on it and make the situation more difficult. An easy way to get on top of the situation early is to play small "leave and return" games with your child. This way, they get accustomed to you being gone in short intervals, and most importantly...get accustomed to you returning. A simple "peek a boo" game or "hide and seek" around the house may do the trick.

The more you can do these exercises, and the longer amounts of time you can be separated is key to overcoming child separation anxiety. The ebook, "The Separation Anxiety Solution" is full of tips, tricks and helpful advice that has helped many kids overcome this difficult and common problem. It can be found at www.separation-anxiety-solution.com.

If your child still shows strong symptoms of child separation anxiety after weeks of doing exercises to get them use to you being away, it may be time to see a doctor or therapist. The earlier you can get this problem under control, the better it will be not only for your child, but also for you.

D.Herren is a freelance writer and web designer.

For more tips and tricks about beating child separation anxiety, please visit The Separation Anxiety Solution