Adults
with separation anxiety disorder
typically acquired their problem during
their childhood. And when a child gets
separation anxiety, it can affect not
only their lives but also those who
happen to be around them. Separation
anxiety in children generally forms when
kids are abandoned by their parents, such
as when they are given up for adoption,
or it can even occur when a child merely
thinks they may be
abandoned.
Separation anxiety
in children causes them to get very anxious whenever they
are left alone or put into a strange environment, such as
dropped off at school or a babysitters for the first
time. They will begin to cry and act out and they
typically cannot be consoled easily. So what do you do
when you have a child that exhibits the symptoms of
separation anxiety in children? You should find an expert
who knows how to deal with the
disorder.
Therapists
Take the child to a therapist who knows
how to deal with separation anxiety in children and you
will have completed the first step in straightening out
the child. Do not leave the child with the therapist but
instead attend the meetings with the child. This is
imperative. The child must be around at least someone he
or she trusts. If you leave the child, then the
separation anxiety will erupt at that moment and no new
headway will be made. Reassure the child that you will be
there the entire time and hopefully he or she will calm
down enough to enable the therapist to work with the
child.
Reassurance
After a certain amount of time has
passed with the child with separation anxiety seeing the
therapist, you should be able to leave the child at a
babysitters or drop him or her off at school with no
problem. Make sure you reassure the child that you are
going to be back. You are not leaving the child for good
or abandoning the child.
Children with separation anxiety think
just that; they think nobody is coming back for them.
Make sure they know that this isn't the case. If you
aren't making any headway even after seeing the
therapist, you may have to resort to some form of
medication.
Children and
Medication
Some people have a big problem with
giving any children medication of any kind, and for good
reason. Kids' bodies aren't yet developed and so
shouldn't have any kind of drug or medication introduced
to their systems. However, children with separation
anxiety generally cannot live or enjoy their lives
because the anxiety takes over.
This may be a case where medication can
calm them down enough to be able to live life normally.
Make sure a trained and certified professional makes that
call and prescribes the medication for separation anxiety
in children. Use this only as a last resort, only after
therapy and working with the child does little
good.