A member asked:
Why does my child get separation anxiety?
3 doctor answers • 7 doctors weighed in
Dr. Laura Webbanswered
Pediatrics 14 years experience
Object permanence: Around 4-7 months babies develop a sense of object permanence, which means they can tell when something is gone (and this includes their parents!) and don't yet have a concept of time, so they don't know you will return. To minimize this anxiety try leaving your child with familiar caregivers such as grandparents or a babysitter they are used too.
6.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Dr. Faryal Ghaffaranswered
Pediatrics 31 years experience
Separation anxiety: An infant starts to think for the first time around 6 months that he/she is separate from the mother/father. An infant get anxious when he/she realizes that the parent/caregiver is not around. This stage is not permanent. It phases out between 18 -30 months.
6.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Johanna Fricke commented
Pediatrics - Developmental and Behavioral 51 years experience
Good answer! The first self-image is a body image. Finding your feet & implicit memory @ 5 mos. are milestones that lead to stranger anxiety
Nov 16, 2012
Dr. Johanna Fricke commented
Pediatrics - Developmental and Behavioral 51 years experience
Good answer! The first self-image is a body image. Finding your feet & implicit memory @ 5 mos. are milestones that lead to stranger anxiety
Nov 16, 2012
Dr. Richard Levensonanswered
Anxiety Disorders 33 years experience
Anxiety in Children: In a school-age child, I am of the opinion that "some" parents communicate a sense of their own anxieties to their children. Sensing something is very wrong, children want to remain by their parent's sides, feeling that they can either make things safe or they will feel safer with them. It is complicated in theory, but treatment for children can be very successful.
5.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Similar questions
A 48-year-old member asked:
How do I get help for separation anxiety?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
A Verified Doctoranswered
15 years experience
Psychotherapy: I recommend that you find a trusted psychologist/therapist with whom you can understand the causes of your separation anxiety (e.g. Early trauma, neglect) and learn tools to help with it.
5.2k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 41-year-old member asked:
Why does my child get anxiety in the evenings?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
Dr. Johanna Frickeanswered
Pediatrics - Developmental and Behavioral 51 years experience
Depends on his age,: personal and family history of medical and psychiatric illnesses, exposure to trauma & home, school & community environments. If it's normal separation anxiety at 9-11 mos., or night-time fears at 3-4 yrs., attending to his crying or allowing him to sleep in your bed reinforces his behavior. At a consistent bedtime, read, cuddle, brush teeth & put him in his bed to fall asleep. See comment.
3.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Johanna Fricke commented
Pediatrics - Developmental and Behavioral 51 years experience
Provided original answer
See healthy children.org for more tips. It helps to teach a child how to control his anxiety, not to let it run his or his family's life. If he's school age or has specific phobias/other anxiety disorders, or if it's hard for you not to " buy into" his anxiety, which reinforces it, seek referral to a child psychologist for guidance that will have life-long benefits.
Jan 20, 2015
Last updated Apr 2, 2015
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