Most children feel separation anxiety at some point. It tends to show up at predictable moments: starting school, a parent deploying or traveling for work, moving between two homes, or after losing someone they love. In young children it is a normal part of growing up, and it usually eases with time and reassurance.
Signs to watch for
- Worrying that something will happen to a parent or caregiver while they are apart
- Not wanting to go to school, or to sleep alone
- Fear of being alone
- Accidents or bedwetting in a child who was already dry
When to talk to your doctor
If the worry is intense, lasts for weeks, or gets in the way of school, sleep or friendships, especially in a child older than six, talk to your pediatrician. It can be a sign of separation anxiety disorder, and there is good help for it.
Small things that help
- Keep goodbyes short, warm and the same every time.
- Tell your child when you will be back in words they understand, like “after lunch” or “after two sleeps.”
- Practice short separations before the big ones.
- Leave something of you with them.
A way to keep you close
That last one is where Huggs To Go comes in. A Huggs To Go doll holds your photo, and a recordable doll plays a 10 second message in your voice, like “I love you, I’ll see you after school,” every time it is squeezed. Lock the message and it stays, through every hug and every battery change.
Orders leave our warehouse within 1 to 3 business days, and APO, AE and FPO addresses ship at regular US rates.
