|
I remember one time during my school years,
I saw a mother trying to leave her clinging, teary and tantrum-filled child
at school. Goodbyes like that are common to the children’s earliest years.
Actually, it is called separation anxiety. But, it’s not only common to
children; it is as well common to parents, especially if they only have one
child ready for school. Separation anxiety usually develop around the first
birthday of a child, getting upset when parents tries to leave them with
other people. Though separation anxiety is perfectly normal part of
childhood development, it can be disturbing.
A baby develops separation anxiety sometime
between their 4th -7th month. During this time, your baby
develops a sense of object permanence. Baby realizes that there’s only one
of you. That is why when they can’t see you, they will cry for they meant
that you’ve gone away.
Between 8th months to 1 year, your child
becomes even more uncertain about being separated from you. This is when
separation typically develops, and your child may show tantrums and cry hard
whenever you try to leave.
The timing of separation anxiety can vary
widely from child to child. There are kids who experience it earlier and
some may experience it later, and it also depends on the child on how the
parents respond. In cases where the separation anxiety interferes with an
older child’s normal activities, it can be an indication of a serious
anxiety disorder.
In cases where separation condition came out of the blue
in an older child, it can be a sign of another problem and it is possible
that the child may be dealing with, like harassment or mistreatment.
Always remember that separation anxiety is
typically different from the normal feelings an older child has when he/she
doesn’t want a parent to leave. In cases like that, a child may be
distracted to overcome the distress until the parents arrive, and remembers
that her parents left. In addition, your child doesn’t understand the
effects of his/her behavior has on you. If you come after your baby every
time he/she cries, your child may use the same trick on you just to avoid
separation.
Separation anxiety is not only common to
kids and parents. Believe it or not, it is also what your dog feels every
time you leave them. Everyone needs a little time and space these days due
to the hectic schedules from work and family. Unless of course, you are
“man’s best friend”
Dogs with separation anxiety display behavior
problems when they are left alone, typically lasting for 20-45 minutes after
their owners leave them. The most common of these behaviors are:
-
Digging, chewing, and scratching at
doors or windows tiring to escape and reunite with their owners
-
Howling, barking, and crying in an
attempt to get their owner to come back
-
Urination and defecation (even
housetrained dogs) as a result of distress.
In cases where you find your couch, doors
and other furniture all torn up because of what your dogs did, try to
remember they were likely suffering
separation anxiety.
|
