How To Overcome Separation Anxiety, Anxiety Disorders When Children Are Separated From Parents

Crying Child Illustration (Nathan Dumlao / Unsplash)

JAKARTA - For those of you who are married and have children, you will know how it feels when your little one starts to act fussy when you leave something for an hour or two to go out. In fact, this is normal for children aged 8 to 14 months. Because they are entering into a phase of separation anxiety.

Cited from the Klikdokter page, Monday, February 15, separation anxiety is a condition when children are fussy and cry due to fear and anxiety when they are away or separated from their parents. If the child is crying for too long due to anxiety, it can cause physical pain such as headaches and severe stomach pain.

Worse yet, this anxiety disorder can cause your little one to experience stress, causing him to have difficulty doing normal activities. Children aged 8 to 14 months are very susceptible to this anxiety disorder and will begin to subside when they are 2 years old.

If you have a child who is entering a phase of separation anxiety, here are simple things you can do to reduce your child's anxiety when you need to be away from him:

Shorten the separation

Landing a kiss on the left and right cheek or a combination of a hug and a kiss is often an affection done before parting with your little one. Even though the intentions are good, who would have thought that this ritual could cause your child to be more afraid to be apart from you if it is done too long. It's best to shorten the time you hug your child before you leave. The longer the parent does this, the more anxious the child will be.

Be consistent

Before leaving, make sure that your little one knows when you will be back and try to get home on time. If the child whines after you leave the house, don't come back just to calm them down, This will only make it difficult for you and the child.

Inform the child when you are going to travel

During and however far you will go, try to always tell the child. This honesty will foster a sense of trust between children and parents.

Teach children that separation is not a bad thing

You can teach your child that separation is not a bad thing. Tell them that you will always come home. If necessary, inform them about when you will be leaving, how long it will take, and when to leave.

If you don't come home on time, don't forget to buy your little one souvenirs or gifts such as favorite food or toys.

Leave the child to the closest person

If the things above don't work to make your child feel less anxious, then you can entrust your child to people they already know, such as his grandparents or aunts. Before that, equip them with the things that will be needed. If necessary, apply the trial period first until the child feels comfortable.