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Children and Teens With Separation Anxiety Disorder Children and adolescents with separation anxiety disorder worry excessively about being away from their caregivers, parents or other important people in their lives. They might also worry about the negative consequences of separation, like getting lost or being hurt. Psychotherapy and medication are a great option to treat children with separation anxiety disorder. Therapy focuses on teaching children to deal with fearful situations slowly with encouragement and support. Symptoms While some anxiety over being apart from loved ones is normal separation anxiety disorder can cause people much more intensely anxious than others when it comes to the separation from family members and primary caregiver figures. People with this condition fear that their family member could suffer a tragic event when they are separated. This could mean that they get lost or getting sick. They might also be afraid of other scenarios that could separate them from their loved ones such as being kidnapped or having a an accident with a car. The onset of this disorder typically begins in the earliest years of life, however adults can develop it at any time. Adult separation anxiety isn't believed to be caused by a specific cause however it can be caused by life changes such as depression, depression, or PTSD. People who suffer from this disorder may feel too dependent on their children or their romantic partners and exhibit poor boundaries. Others may see them as overly demanding and clingy. The signs of this disorder include excessive distress when a person is separated from their family, severe distress when they're away from home or work and recurrent nightmares involving separation. These symptoms can make people avoid travel or other activities that require a physical separation from their families, for example, going to school. Children with this condition may have trouble sleeping or may experience a variety of physical problems like headaches or stomachaches, when they are worried about being on their own. A healthcare professional will ask you about your previous and current symptoms, or those of your child to determine if you suffer from separation anxiety. They will ask you about your family and other relationships, to see how you've been able to manage separation anxiety before. Talk therapy and, in a few instances, medication are utilized to treat this condition. Your therapist can show you and your child how to deal with their fears. They can also guide you to approach feared situations in a step-by-step process that will help your child learn how to handle separations and build their confidence. Medications can help to calm the brain and relax the body, which can ease the anxiety of your child. Diagnosis Separation anxiety disorder can cause a person to feel extreme anxiety when they are away from their home or other close relatives. Unlike normal fear and worry that people generally experience, the symptoms of this disorder can be persistent, typically lasting longer than four weeks in children and more than six months in adults, and they cause major disruption to daily activities and performance at school and work. It can also impact a person's socialization and ability to establish romantic relationships. A mental health professional will interview and examine the patient's behavior to determine the cause of the disorder. panic anxiety disorder will inquire about when symptoms started and what triggers the symptoms to become worse or better. Based on the age of the patient the mental health professional may also ask about any recent events that might be causing stress, as well as any past trauma. The doctor will also attempt to determine whether the fear is due to another medical condition that may cause similar symptoms, like an illness, like cancer or a neurological disorder, such as multiple sclerosis or cerebral palsy. Other possible causes include familial adversities in childhood like parental mental illness, substance misuse, domestic violence, child abuse and neglect, and experiences with trauma such as natural disasters and sexual assault, war, or the death of loved ones. The diagnosis of separation anxiety disorder in adults is more difficult, because there aren't any laboratory tests for the condition and it can share many symptoms with other fears. Separation anxiety disorder is more frequent for adults who have had a traumatic experience or significant loss. Certain studies suggest that those who were diagnosed with separation anxiety disorder as children are more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety disorders in adulthood. Separation anxiety disorder can be treated in various ways. Therapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) as well as medications, like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and antidepressants, can help people overcome their fear. Parents who suffer from this disorder can benefit from strategies and training to strengthen their relationship with their child. Treatment Separation anxiety disorder is diagnosed when the child's fear of being around strangers and clinginess is persistent throughout the elementary school years, and is accompanied with physical symptoms and interferes in daily activities. According to BetterHelp, an online therapy service for children, separation anxiety disorder is a problem that affects as many as 4% of children, with an average age of 7 years. The healthcare provider for your child will conduct a thorough examination to determine if there are any physical issues that may be causing their anxiety. If no physical problems are found the healthcare professional for your child will refer them to an anxiety disorder specialist. For children, this will most likely be a psychiatrist or child psychologist. Psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy, is often the first treatment option for separation anxiety disorder. The therapy therapist will assist your child to discover healthy ways to manage their feelings and increase self-confidence and independence, and build resilience. The therapist will instruct parents on how they can assist their child who is suffering from anxiety. Medication, including antidepressants like selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are often prescribed along with psychotherapy for separation anxiety disorder. The therapist will determine the best treatment option for your child based upon their particular needs. Children who suffer from severe anxiety, for example, may benefit from a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and exposure therapy. This involves gradually exposing your child to the situations that cause anxiety in small steps until they become comfortable. Most often, children suffering from separation anxiety disorder improve as they grow older, and their symptoms will decrease. However, some adults may have symptoms of separation anxiety throughout their adult lives. This can make it difficult for them to keep relationships or pursue certain career goals, like going back to college or moving for work. Adults who suffer from separation anxiety have a high rate of co-occurring disorders, including other types of anxiety disorders such as depression and phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder, and a range of substance use disorders. The following is a list with preventions. For many kids, separation anxiety is a normal part of development. For others, separation anxiety can be a serious issue that interferes in their lives and prevents them from participating in the activities they enjoy. Speak to a mental healthcare professional if your child's anxiety affects their daily routine. Separation anxiety disorder is a condition where children experience severe distress when they are away from their parents or other family members. They are constantly worried about being snatched away or lost, or that an accident could cause them to lose those closest to them. They may have trouble falling asleep at night or refuse to go to play dates, school, or camp without their parents. Doctors are not able to diagnose separation anxiety until the symptoms of a child are present for at minimum four weeks. The healthcare provider may interview both the child as well as the parents in a separate session to get the full picture. They might ask questions about anxiety disorders or changes in life such as family history or life events that could have triggered the separation anxiety. Treatment for separation anxiety disorder is dependent on the age of the child, and the severity of symptoms. Children express anxiety by worrying about their attachment figures. For example they might worry that their parents are in a car crash or harmed by burglars. By contrast older children who suffer from separation anxiety typically deny that they are worried about leaving the house. Behavioral therapy is a typical treatment for children suffering from separation anxiety. It involves teaching relaxation techniques to children, and helping them identify and manage their anxiety. In some instances there is a mix of therapies, such as cognitive therapy, is used. Adults should be consistent with their responses to children experiencing anxiety over separation. Children need to be aware that their parents' pleas not to leave them not valid. They will only be able to improve by receiving clear, unambiguous boundaries and support in overcoming their fears.