Most children go through a phase of feeling anxious when a parent says good bye.
Most parents remember experiencing the emotional tug-of-war when putting their child to bed and how long it could take before being allowed to leave the child’s bedroom. And of course saying good bye when dropping your child off at school. This is a natural part of growing up and most children go through it.
This stage of development can last up to age five and each child will exhibit it differently and to varying intensities. Feeling a little worried about leaving their father or mother, even when the child is older, is normal and fades completely as the child gets older.
However, some children do not out grow this stage of development. Some children continue to experience intense separation anxiety right into their high school years which interferes with normal activities like school, friendships, sleep, and diet.
Some children will refuse to go to school, will experience difficulty sleeping and insist on sleeping with their parents and some will develop eating problems. These are just a few of the many ways that a child can exhibit separation anxiety.
If a child suffers in this way it may be a sign of a larger problem called ‘Separation Anxiety Disorder’.
Separation Anxiety Disorder is NOT a normal stage of development, but a serious emotional problem characterised by extreme distress when a child is away from its parents.
However, since normal separation anxiety and separation anxiety disorder share many of the same symptoms, it can be confusing to try to figure out if your child just needs time and understanding—or has a more serious problem.
No matter how distressed your child becomes when parted from you, separation anxiety disorder is treatable.
Here at Setanta Hypnotherapy Clinic, Hypno-Psychotherapist, Mary Nathan has successfully treated many children.
Since lockdown there has been a noticeable increase in the number of parents seeking Hypnotherapy to resolve their children’s anxiety and this is understandable considering the disruption children experienced during that time.
To book a free consultation and find out more from Mary about how Hypnotherapy works please contact us using our contact form on www.SetantaHypnotherapy.com or Text +44 7624326041
Video explaining Separation Anxiety in Children and how Hypnotherapy is an effective treatment
