Separation anxiety is common in children under six when separated from a caregiver, but if it persists after six it may be a disorder. Trauma, overprotective parents, and moving frequently can cause separation anxiety. It can also be a learned behavior or a biological disposition.
Separation anxiety is characterized by irrational feelings of worry or fear in an individual who is separated from a loved one or caregiver. It is common for children under the age of six to experience these symptoms when separated from a parent or guardian. When a child continues to experience separation anxiety after the age of six, however, it is considered a disorder by many health specialists. Symptoms of separation anxiety in children can include nightmares after being left alone, headaches and stomach aches, and trying to skip school to be with a parent. Some causes of separation anxiety in children include trauma or overprotective parents.
Trauma describes stress that can impair an individual’s ability to function. Objects and situations that an individual associates with an original source of trauma can lead to recurring feelings of fear. Illnesses that require hospitalization in early childhood are a common cause of trauma and can often lead to separation anxiety in children. If a child associates separation from a caregiver with a time of great fear and uncertainty, such as hospitalization, separation anxiety can become extreme.
Another type of trauma that can cause separation anxiety in children is the death of a loved one. Children often do not understand death and may be more affected by feelings of loss which can cause them to feel that something bad can happen whenever their loved ones are separated from them, even for short periods of time. Losing a pet can also cause this anxiety.
Children who are moved from place to place can also suffer from separation anxiety. These children may feel that they are losing friends quickly. The associations they feel in certain places and within certain groups may seem fragile to them. A sense of unease and instability can manifest itself in separation anxiety.
Many specialists believe that separation anxiety in children is often the result of the caregiver’s separation anxiety. In other words, if a child feels that her parent becomes anxious whenever she leaves him alone or with a teacher or a basitter, a child may be expressing this anxiety. If a child feels that a caregiver is worried, he or she may think there is a rational reason to be afraid.
A number of children who experience separation anxiety come from families where their loved ones also suffer from anxiety and other mental disorders. For this reason, many experts believe that some children may have biological dispositions for anxiety. In some cases, however, separation anxiety can be a learned behavior.
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