Childhood separation anxiety usually occurs when a young boy or girl is first learning to be away from his or her parents. Separation anxiety is considered to be a normal part of child development by many mental health workers. So when does it become a problem?
Separation anxiety should not continue for a long period of time. It is a temporary reaction to the initial separation of a young child and a parent. If a child is inconsolable hours after being separated from a parent, it can be a problem.
It is also problematic when separation anxiety causes the child, the parents, or the rest of the household an undue amount of stress. Genuine fright and upset at being separated from a parent can grow into a more serious anxiety problem (and future behavioral problems), so dealing with separation anxiety in an appropriate manner is important.
School anxiety can also occur in children, but it should not persist after a certain amount of time spent in school. If a child gets over his or her separation anxiety or school anxiety then develops it again, this can be a sign that there may have been some event that disturbed the child (e.g., bullying by other students). Parents should take this seriously and find out what they need to know to ease the child’s worries and distress.
A writer in the UK responds to a concerned parent’s questions about separation anxiety and school anxiety. He offers advice on how to treat the child and what kinds of questions the parent should be asking.
If you want to know what the writer advises for parents of an anxious child, visit the link here:
