Separation Anxiety (cont.)
IN THIS ARTICLE
- Separation Anxiety Overview
- Separation Anxiety Causes
- Separation Anxiety Symptoms
- When to Seek Medical Care
- Questions to Ask the Doctor
- Exams and Tests
- Separation Anxiety Treatment
- Self-Care at Home
- Medical Treatment
- Medications
- Other Therapy
- Next Steps
- Follow-up
- Prevention
- Outlook
- Support Groups and Counseling
- For More Information
- Web Links
- Synonyms and Keywords
- Authors and Editors
Separation Anxiety Symptoms
Symptoms of separation anxiety disorder include the following:
- Subjective feeling of anxiety
- Unrealistic worries about the safety of loved ones
- Reluctance to fall asleep if not near the primary attachment figure
- Excessive dismay (ie, tantrums) if separation from the primary attachment figure is imminent
- Nightmares with separation-related themes
- Homesickness
- Psychosomatic symptoms such as headache, dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea, stomachache, cramps, vomiting, muscle aches, and heart palpitations
Next: When to Seek Medical Care »
| Printer-Friendly Format | | | Email to a Friend |
Emotional Wellness
Get tips on therapy and treatment.
From WebMD
Anxiety/Panic Disorder Resources
- Anxiety and 5 Other Sneaky Signs of Depression
- How Stress Affects Your Teeth and Gums
- Tips to Beat Holiday Stress
Featured Centers
- Top 10 Asthma Cities
- Health Check: How to Choose The Right Vitamins
- 10 Triggers for the Holiday Blues
Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
Read What Your Physician is Reading on eMedicine
Anxiety Disorder: Separation Anxiety and School Refusal »
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV), separation anxiety is a fairly common anxiety disorder that consists of excessive anxiety beyond that expected for the child's developmental level related to separation or impending separation from the attachment figure (eg, primary caretaker, close family member) occurring in children younger than 18 years and lasting for at least 4 weeks.
Explore 80+ Centers
- Allergy
- Allergy Medications
- Anaphylaxis
- Antidepressants
- Anxiety
- Arthritis
- Asthma
- Baby's Health
- Back, Neck, Head Injury
- Bioterrorism, Warfare
- Blood, Lymphatic System
- Bone, Joint, Muscle
- Brain, Nervous System
- Breathing Difficulties
- Burns
- Camping
- Cancer, Tumors
- Children's Health
- Cholesterol
- Cold and Flu
- CPR, Choking
- Cuts, Scrapes, Bruises
- Dementia
- Depression
- Diabetes
- Diabetic Coma, Insulin Shock
- Digestive System
- Dislocations
- Drowning
- Drug Overdose
- Ear, Nose, Throat
- Emotional Wellness
- Endocrine System
- Environmental Injuries
- Erectile Dysfunction
- Exercise, Nutrition
- Eye, Vision
- Fainting
- Fever
- First Aid, Emergency
- First Aid Kits
- Food Poisoning
- Foreign Bodies
- Fractures, Broken Bones
- Glaucoma
- Headache
- Health, Medical
- Heartburn, GERD, Reflux
- Heart, Blood Vessels
- Heart Attack
- Hepatitis
- Immune System
- Incontinence
- Infections
- Kidneys, Urinary System
- Lung, Airway
- Medications
- Men's Health
- Mental Health, Behavior
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Nosebleeds
- Osteoporosis
- Outdoor Living
- Overexposure
- Poisoning
- Procedures
- Psoriasis
- Public Health
- Scuba Diving, Swimming
- Seizures
- Senior Health
- Shock
- Skin, Hair, Nails
- Sleep Disorders
- Social, Family Health
- Sports Injury
- Sprains, Strains
- Statins
- STDs
- Substance Abuse
- Teen Health
- Teeth, Mouth, Oral Health
- Weight Management
- Wilderness Emergencies
- Women's Health
- Wounds
