 Excessive worry and fear about being apart from family members or individuals to whom a child is most attached. QtuU1L_A8

 Children's cannot leave home without panicking.  Mute with strangers.  Worry about being hurt.  Headaches  Fear of being alone.  Refusal to go to school in order to stay with the caregiver or family.  Stomachaches  Refusal to go to sleep without the caregiver being nearby or to sleep away from home.  Fear that something terrible will happen to a loved one.

 A. Developmentally inappropriate and excessive anxiety concerning separation from home or from those to whom the individual is attached, as evidenced by three (or more) of the following: (1) recurrent excessive distress when separation from home or major attachment figures occurs or is anticipated (2) persistent and excessive worry about losing, or about possible harm befalling, major attachment figures (3) persistent and excessive worry that an untoward event will lead to separation from a major attachment figure (e.g., getting lost or being kidnapped) (4) persistent reluctance or refusal to go to school or elsewhere because of fear of separation (5) persistently and excessively fearful or reluctant to be alone or without major attachment figures at home or without significant adults in other settings (6) persistent reluctance or refusal to go to sleep without being near a major attachment figure or to sleep away from home (7) repeated nightmares involving the theme of separation (8) repeated complaints of physical symptoms (such as headaches, stomachaches, nausea, or vomiting) when separation from major attachment figures occurs or is anticipated B. The duration of the disturbance is at least 4 weeks. C. The onset is before age 18 years. D. The disturbance causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, academic (occupational), or other important areas of functioning.

 Most children's with separation Anxiety Disorder have a family history of panic disorder.  Nightmares about being separated.  Fear of separation causes great distress to the child and may interfere with the child's normal activities  Bed Wetting  Over-protective parent.

 Change in environment  it is possible that changes in surroundings—like a new house, school, or day care situation  Stress  Stressful situations like switching schools, or the loss of a loved one, including a pet.

 Is normal for young children's to have SAD from 8 to 14 months old.  Is very common for children's suffer from SAD from 10 months to 3 years.  Separation anxiety affects approximately 4%-5% of children of ages 7 to 11 years.  It is less common in teenagers, affecting about 1.3% of teens and affects boys and girls equally.

 Psychotherapy A process focused on helping you heal and learn more constructive ways to deal with the problems or issues within your life.  Cognitive-Behavioral Psychotherapy  Focuses on teaching children's several skills, such as how to recognize anxious feelings regarding separation and to identify their physical reactions to anxiety.

 It can fade away as the child gets older.  Over 60% of children participating with their parents in cognitive-behavioral treatment are successful in managing their symptoms without medication.  Symptoms do not re-appear in exactly the same way.

 Halgin, R.P.,& Whitbourne, S.K. (2005). Abnormal psychology clinical perspectives on psychological disorders. New York, NY: Mc Graw Hill.  n_anxiety/article.htm

 In your own Opinion…  Do you think this disorder is very common in children's? Why or why not? › Include  Personal experiences.  What you see around you.