separation anxiety disorder (SAD)

Although all children have periods of time in their lives when separating from a favored adult is difficult, Separation Anxiety Disorder is a term describing an abnormal anxiety upon separating from a person the child is attached to. The child may cry or become physically ill just at the thought of the primary caregiver leaving them. Some children make their caregiver a prisoner by not even allowing the parent to use the bathroom or to do tasks in another room. Often the child wakes during the night with nightmares about the primary caregiver being gone. Many children cannot calm, or self-regulate, even when the parent returns.

Fearing the loss of a caregiver is a normal part of development and a young child often goes through several periods of time where separation is an issue, predictably, around the ages of 8 months, 12 months, and then again between 18 months and three years of age. In addition, a child may be more sensitive to separations during times of illness, change (e.g., divorce, routine changes, moves), and when the child is excessively tired.

Although all children go through stages where separation from a caregiver is difficult, with separation anxiety disorder, the symptoms last for more than four weeks with significant distress or impairment in important areas of functioning. For example, if the child cannot function for hours at a time when thinking about the primary caregiver leaving or after the caregiver is gone, this is a good indicator that what is happening something that goes above and beyond normal.

Symptoms may include:

• Headaches
• Stomach aches
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Vomiting
• Not being able to eat
• Not being able to sleep

If your child is showing these symptoms and the symptoms have persisted for more than a month, you may want to seek the advice of a behavioral health specialist.