Separation Anxiety Disorder

Separation Anxiety Disorder is characterized by excessive anxiety related to separation from the home or a primary caregiver (e.g. parents). Children with this disorder are often preoccupied with thoughts of scary things that might happen to their caregiver. They may refuse to go to school or to engage in age-appropriate social activities without their parents present. Additionally, these children often have difficulty at bedtime. Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and certain types of medication have been shown to be helpful in the treatment of anxiety disorders.