Separation anxiety in preschoolers


Separation is one of the most effective reasons to cause anxiety to our preschoolers, and it would be very normal in their very early childhood (especially between 8 and 14 months old). In addition, preschoolers generally can come over their separation anxiety by time, in case of they are very stuck to their parents, they will be afraid of different persons and places. But if this anxiety happens with preschoolers overage 6 years, it considered extreme, and even if it continues longer than 4 weeks, the preschoolers in this case may have separation anxiety problem.

Separation anxiety disorder is a condition in which preschoolers will become scared and anxious when apart from house or separated from loved persons – commonly their mothers, fathers or other caregiver-- to whom preschoolers are attached. Several preschoolers also produce bodily signs, like headaches or stomachaches, just at the thinking of separation moment!! The fear of separation leads to great hurt to the preschoolers and may even interfere with their daily actions, including going to preschool or playing with other children.

What can possibly cause separation anxiety in preschoolers

As we've just said, it is completely normal for preschoolers to concern because of separation from their moms or dads even for a short period of time, after that they will slowly slowly come back to their normal pattern. This behavior is showed from being baby up to around 6 years. At infancy, they start seeing other people that can lead to many type of anxiety to them. Looking at their mothers or fathers or any familiar faces around helps reduce this separation anxiety. If our preschoolers are not getting usual into the routine after separation from us, below are some reasons why this might be happening:

  • Parent's being very overprotect: Have anyone of us ever wondered why our preschoolers exhibited such needy actions? We must almost certainly evaluate our own actions styles. Are we that kind of mums or dads who won't depart sight of our preschoolers even for a bit? Do we think we're always near to be careful of them? Making certain that they are protected? Are we still allow them to sleep with us at the bed? Most of these behaviors push our preschoolers to think that this is the way life is always must be. When we find ourselves at last prepared to overcome our own separation anxiety and outside of them, it offers rubbed off on them, who just refuse to be remaining alone or with anybody else for this reason. 
  • If they lose something they were very attached to in their early childhood: In many cases, the loss of a loved person, it would be usually a parent, or possibly a sib, or even a loved pet is able to lead to the separation anxiety trouble in preschoolers. 
  • Transmissible and Environment Susceptible: preschoolers from mothers and fathers who exhibited such kinds of separation anxiety throughout their years as being preschoolers are very likely to exhibit symptoms of this trouble. And even more, scientific tests have proven that stress during being pregnant could possibly be on the list of causes of this anxiety. Environmental changes are also probably as factors behind this issue, for example change of house or preschool. 

Ways to deal with Separation anxiety in preschoolers

1. Let's start separation with short periods:
We have to start out with a familiar person to our preschoolers - a Grandma or a sister - and just depart for possibly 12-15min's. Then develop the period up to 1 hour. Regardless of whether our preschoolers are yelling or getting confused of separation, because we are giving them a very important principle: mummy/daddy always comes back, and that considered as a very essential principle in the childhood education.

2. Let's start to present our new caregiver/childcare setting:
In case of we are using a babysitter, we should start off by inviting her over for having a meal with us. Let them play jointly in a different room in the house. That will help in making preschoolers feel easy and familiar with the new comers. If we want to use a preschool facility, alternatively, we can suggest them a transitional period. that will never assure us tear-free goodbye, but without a doubt, it helps.

3. How about leaving a comfort object with them:
Just like a previously worn shirts that smelled like mom to hug during the separation period. Or family pictures in their preschool, that would help a lot.

4. Let's discuss with them about what we are doing: 
Reading books that reassure our preschoolers that we'll always return helps a lot in comforting them. Well, how about talking about every preparing time for preschool every morning, we can talk about that in detail to ensure that he was prepared even psychologically.

5. It's important to leave detailed instructions with babysitter or preschool teacher: 
Include our succeeded ways to calm our preschoolers down, and it is absolutely important to leave the contact number in case of our preschoolers remain to be feeling anxious and upset.

Preschoolers usually can come over their separation anxiety by time, if they didn't, we have to start over from the beginning again with hope. We must even think of a different childcare solutions, in case of the problem doesn't get better. But it really will. It always does.