Is separation anxiety (SA) normal? How do I know my child has it?


Since all children experience some amount of anxiety when separated from their caregivers, it is considered normal, in fact a healthy part of development. Signs vary from child to child, depending on your child's bond with you and her temperament and style. Though very much part of growing up, it can be a tedious job to work on by parents and caregivers. Although there are divided views on this, some researchers feel that children who are by nature calm and confident are inherently better equipped to deal with good-byes and settle down more readily with the child-minder.





Some children are self-reliant while many others are largely dependent on their mothers (or main caregiver). SA is therefore reflective of a child's temperament rather than your upbringing. There are many different symptoms which are not too difficult to spot. A normally anxious child due to separation will display the following: clinginess, crying when the preferred parent is out of sight, obvious preference for one parent over all other family members, resistance to being separate from the caregiver during nap time and bedtime, anxiety that goes away once the parent appears, waking up at nights crying for a parent and fear of strangers and family or friends who are not frequent visitors.