Seperation anxiety

Question

Posted by: Joan | 2007/05/15

Seperation anxiety

I am desperate. My 22 month old son has a serious case of seperation anxiety. He has been going to a playschool 3 times a week for the last 3 months, and still cries when I drop him off. Otherwise he is happy at the school, he loves his teacher and hangs around her constantly. Whenever I pick him up, I find him talking (babbling) to her non stop, so I don't think the school is the problem. Whenever I am with him, he constantly wants to be picked up or sit on my lap. I do hold him as much as I possibly can, but sometimes I need my hands to myself. I run a business from home, and try not to work when he is with me, but do sometimes have to do certain things like check e-mail. I also love gardening, but had to stop this hobby because he gets so upset that he would grab the gardening tools out of my hands and demand my attention. I now find myself trying to find excuses to get away from the house over weekends and leave him with my husband, just to try and breathe a little. He is not like this with my husband. I am starting to resent the times I spend with him because he doesn't grant me any personal space, and I feel really guilty about this. How do I deal with this?

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Our expert says:

CyberShrink

Consider taking him to see a good local child shrink for a few sessions, for assessment and specific behavioural advice. And meanwhile, watch Supernanny to see good illustrations of ways to handle such bad behaviour, Notice that |he is not like this " with your husband --- not because your husband likely has brilliant child-rearing skills, but because he hasn't happened to respond to the demands of the child in ways that encourage it, and lead the kid to expect such constant attention as you obviously can't provide.

The information provided does not constitute a diagnosis of your condition. You should consult a medical practitioner or other appropriate health care professional for a physical exmanication, diagnosis and formal advice. Health24 and the expert accept no responsibility or liability for any damage or personal harm you may suffer resulting from making use of this content.

Our users say:

Posted by: Echelle | 2007/05/15

Sounds like my 18 month old :-) It's terrible! Ask your husband to help you out a bit. I don't have a husband, so I have to cope by myself. It's terrible, I know, I must even pick him up while I brush my teeth.

Reply to Echelle