Childhood separation anxiety can by tricky to deal with. Here are some tips to help both you and your child.

Childhood separation anxiety is a normal part of child development and few children are immune to it completely.

A baby up to the age of around 6 months is usually happy for anyone to care for it and rarely complains if left with someone other than the parent.

A toddler between 1 1/2 and 2 can find it very hard to be left with a stranger, particularly if they have not been left before.

Separation anxiety can be exacerbated by certain events in a child’s life, such as the arrival of a new baby, or a parent going away for a short while, or the parents splitting up.

How long the childhood separation anxiety lasts depends on the child, and on your response to it.

Click on Separation Anxiety in older child for advice on helping older children.

Many children experience School Separation Anxiety. This can be particularly hard on you as this is a time when most parents suffer the anxiety themselves!

Above all, make sure you are leaving your child with someone you like and trust, and someone your child likes too.

Be patient, your child may take many months before she can be left without crying at all as you leave. The important thing to know is how quickly she stops after you are gone.

If your child is anxious and crying the whole time you are gone, and displays other symptoms such as sleeping problems or other tensions, it may be that there is a problem with the child care situation. You might need to look at other options.

Alternatively, if the anxiety persists, it is a good idea to consult your doctor. It may be that your child is suffering from a more rare condition know as separation anxiety disorder. Your doctor will be able to refer you to an expert in child psychology.