What is the best intervention for separation anxiety?
Brycen Gusikowski
2025-06-18 07:47:20
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: 8
Treatment for separation anxiety disorder usually involves cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT. This is a treatment that helps children learn to understand and manage their fears. Exposure therapy, a specialized form of CBT, is often used to treat anxiety. Exposure therapy works by carefully exposing children to separation in small doses, which helps them learn to tolerate the anxiety, and feel less anxious over time. Parent training can be helpful to make parents feel more confident and comfortable about supporting their kids during treatment. There is also a relatively new form of treatment called SPACE — Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions — in which the clinician works only with parents to change the way they respond to the behavior of their anxious child. That, in turn, helps reduce the child’s anxiety. When therapy is not enough, a child may be given medicine to lessen their symptoms and help make therapy more effective. The most common drug to treat separation anxiety disorder is an antidepressant medication called an SSRI.
Kory Pollich
2025-06-18 06:12:00
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: 7
You can focus on helping your baby understand and deal with their feelings so they feel more secure. They'll learn that if you leave them, they will be OK and you will come back. Practise short separations from your baby to begin with, you could start by leaving them in someone else's care for a few minutes while you nip to the local shop. Leave your baby with someone they know well so they still feel comfortable and safe in your absence. Gradually work towards longer separations, and then leaving them in less familiar settings. Talk to your toddler about what you're going to do when you see them again so they have something to look forward to with you. Make saying goodbye a positive time, when you leave your baby, however sad or worried you may be feeling, smile and wave goodbye confidently and happily, otherwise they will pick up on your tension. By giving your baby experience of saying goodbye then having happy reunions, you are teaching them an important life lesson. Leave something comforting with your baby, it may comfort your baby to have something they identify with you – like a scarf with your scent on or a favourite toy – close by.
Cielo Keebler
2025-06-18 04:36:12
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: 10
Separation anxiety disorder is usually treated first with psychotherapy. Psychotherapy involves working with a trained therapist to lessen separation anxiety symptoms. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an effective form of therapy for separation anxiety disorder. Exposure treatment, a part of CBT, has been found to be helpful for separation anxiety. During this type of treatment your child can learn how to face and manage fears about separation and uncertainty. Also, parents can learn how to effectively give emotional support and encourage independence that suits the child's age. Sometimes, combining medicine with CBT may be helpful if anxiety symptoms are severe and a child isn't making progress in therapy alone. You also can take these steps to help ease your child's separation anxiety: Learn about your child's separation anxiety disorder, talk to your child's mental health professional to learn about the condition and help your child understand it, and follow the treatment plan. Practice the skills learned from the mental health professional so you're ready to deal with your child's anxious feelings during separations. Leave your child with a trusted caregiver for short periods of time to help your child learn that you will return. Show calm support, encourage your child to try new experiences, experience separation and develop independence with your support.
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