Finding Effective Treatment for Separation Anxiety Disorder

Childhood separation anxiety disorder is a problem that should not be ignored nor should it be allowed to develop in severity before treatment is offered. There are effective methods for treating separation anxiety disorder in children including the following:

Behavioral therapy

Behavioral therapy, when used as treatment for separation anxiety disorder, focuses on the child's cognitive capacity. A qualified therapist teaches and challenges the child to conquer all his or her negative thoughts. This includes confronting the reality of temporary and eventually permanent separation from the childhood home. Part of the challenge is to develop a new set of thoughts, all of which are positive, and to practice the positive behavior instead of the negative.

Family Therapy

In family therapy sessions parents are taught to help their children manage the

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distress and anxiety of their condition by creating a nurturing and supportive environment without enabling the negative behaviors and fears that are at the heart of the child's distress. Often siblings are a part of this therapy process as well.

Playing therapy

In cases where very young children are effected by separation anxiety, toys are useful tools to get the child to open up to a therapist and to find a way out of their fear and depression. Books, puppets, art materials, and games can be outlets for the expression of thoughts and feelings.

Relaxation techniques

Relaxation techniques like deep breathing and soothing language are also utilized. These techniques are proven to produce positive effects on the child and to give him a method he can employ to calm himself when his fears and anxieties begin to manifest.

At least for a time it may be acceptable to allow the child to comfort himself with an object that brings him a sense of security. For toddlers this may be a pacifier, a stuffed animal, or a blanket. In time the child does have to be weaned from his affection for these talismans but in extreme cases, even into adulthood, small security objects like a photograph, a good luck piece, or a significant item of jewelry are acceptable devices to minimize worry and offer a sense of security.

Separation anxiety disorder, while a serious problem, can be treated. The worst thing a parent can do is to ignore or dismiss their child's real emotional suffering. The history of separation anxiety disorder in children has shown the proper parental support and guidance is essential to a complete resolution of the fear and the prevention of difficulty with anxiety into adulthood.

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