I still remember the horrors of being left alone at school with so many strangers on the first day. I was all alone. I could still fathom the fear of leaving my parents to go to school. On the very first day of school, like most children, I too freaked out and cried, calling out for my parents. You might think that this is so common, and we were all there once. However, for some kids like me, staying away from their parents has been pretty hard.
It's not just the warmth of having my parents around, but having to be at an unfamiliar place would make me anxious. As the anxiety grows, I would shut myself up or fall ill. I had to experience it for most of my childhood. It never came to my parent's knowledge that I was suffering from a disorder. It was Separation Anxiety Disorder.
The fear of being separated:
Children tend to develop separation anxiety disorder (SAD) in the early years of their childhood. Around 1-4% of children around the world are estimated to have SAD. If not addressed, it might lead to a severe health hazard.
How can you tell when your kid is suffering from SAD?
Here are some of the noticeable symptoms of SAD:
> Temper tantrums that are violent and uncontrollable
> Excessive and incessant Crying
> Showing resistance in doing tasks alone
> Reluctance to sleep alone
> Inability to make healthy conversations with other kids
> Physical illness such as headache or vomiting
> Poor at academics
> Waking up with nightmares
Could it be treated? How can you save your kid from the disorder?
Psychologists believe that parents can help their children to come out of separation anxiety disorder. In a blog post, Dr. Guruprit Ganda, a ThreeBestRated® psychologist, provides a few insights on how to help children with the condition.
> Help them make a slow transition: The anxiety pops out on the first day of school or childcare. Instead of leaving your child, try to spend some extra hours at childcare with them. Engage them with some fun activities to make them feel that the environment is a safe place. Try to help them interact with other kids and then leave. It will help them feel better.
> Never Sneak Away: Many parents think that sneaking away from their kids when they are crying is a good idea. But sneaking away from them in such situations will worsen their fear of separation.
> Practice separation: Send them away to more familiar places where they would feel at home without you being around. Like, Grandma's home or a neighbor's place where they feel comfortable. It will help them cope with the separation.
> Family therapy: Therapy can be of great help. You could attend therapy as a family along with your kids to figure out ways to tackle it.
SAD is common among almost all children. Some grow out of it as they grow, but a few children get stuck with it. It is the responsibility of every parent to help the child overcome this fear.
Sara Wilson is a blogger and writer for Three Best Rated®. In her works, she talks about the misconceptions about mental illness and the stigma surrounding it. She often writes about the stress we face in everyday life and offers tips on how to deal with them.