Attachment Disorder | Attachment Disorders

Why Does Attachment Disorder Occur? How To Prevent It?

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Change is the only thing that is constant in this world. Yet, we always like to focus on preventing change. We try to believe that some things in our life will never change. Our attachment to our parents and their care and concern for us happens to be one such thing.

We often underestimate the extent to which they rely upon this bond. Our bond with our family and our confidence that this care and affection will remain unchanged helps us progress in life. No matter how many problems we face, we take solace in the fact that they this is one bond that will always be present.

In such a scenario, it is not surprising that a child who has faced severe problems in forming attachment with family members and adults will face problems in the future as well. Attachment disorders have been noted in those kids who interact with individuals and get to spend at least six month with them but are separated from them before spending three years.

If this pattern is repeated with different individuals and caregivers, the child will automatically find it difficult to form attachment. Of course, the issue is not as simple as described above. However, absence of an attachment and social interaction at a very young age causes significant impact on the ability of the individual to form relationships in the future.

Needless to say, the responsibility of ensuring that the child does not suffer from attachment disorders belongs to parents and caregivers. One does not have to be a parent to form attachment.

Even the status of a relative is good enough as long as one is sincere towards the relationship. All it takes is one strong relationship with the child to send the message across that creating and forming attachments and new relationships is worth the effort it requires. This can make a huge difference to the future of the child.

Filed Under: Parents, Treatments Tagged With: Attachment disorder, Child, Disorders, Health, Interpersonal relationship, Mental health, Parent, Reactive attachment disorder

Tips to Avoiding Potential Attachment Disorder

Attachment disorders can occur in any child at any point in time during their childhood. For one reason or another the child did not adequately bond with the parent and instead has attachment issues with the parent as they grow older.

Many parents do not realize that their child runs the risk of developing such a disorder and therefore do not take the steps to avoid it from happening. Here are some tips that a new parent can do to make sure that their child does not develop attachment disorder in their later years.

Baby Massage. Baby massages have become very popular over the years. These massage techniques allow the parent and child a significant amount of time each day to bond together. The bond between child and parent is further strengthened by the physical contact and the relaxation of the massage.

Games. There are a lot of interactive games that parents and child can play together. Make sure that whatever game is being played the child is involved in and playing along. This can include songs, talking in odd voices or anything that will attract the child’s attention.

Reading. Reading is another great bonding activity that many children with attachment disorders did not have during childhood. Simply reading for a half hour a day to the child allows them to develop an attachment that can avoid attachment disorder. This could be during the day or even at bedtime each night.

Holding and Snuggling. There are lots of times that a child will need to be held and snuggled by the parent. Do this as often as is needed. If the child shows anger, aggression or frustration a hug, hold or snuggle can help calm them down. At the same time it can help avoid attachment disorder.

There are just some of the general tips that a parent can do to avoid attachment disorder. Try to interact with your baby as often as possible and you’ll avoid attachment disorder.

Filed Under: Treatments Tagged With: Attachment disorder, Child and Adolescent, Disorders, Foster care, Health, Mental health, Parenting, Reactive attachment disorder

The Importance of Nurturing Activities to Treat Attachment Disorder

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Attachment disorder occurs in children who are believed to have not completed the bonding process of growing up. For one reason or another their brains read that when a parent leaves they are leaving for good and instead of reacting in a way that a normal child who has completed this cycle would they end up becoming attached the parent.

Many times attachment disorder can be so intrusive on daily living that parents are forced to seek therapeutic measures to treat this disorder. One of the most important and widely used therapy session is that of the nurturing activities between parent and child.

Therapists encourage parents and children to engage in nurturing activities that will essentially bring back the child to childhood. When they go back to childhood they are essentially trying to reform that bond that did not fully develop in childhood. Although many parents will try to treat attachment disorder in a child between the ages of 6 to 9, this type of therapy can be encouraged in children as old as 15 and 16.

These therapy sessions encourage parents to engage in activities that a child of ages 1 to 2 would normally engage in. This can include reading bedtime stories together at night, singing songs together, playing make believe or even just play interacting. The reason behind engaging in these activities is because many therapists believe that it can take the child back and reform that bond.

It is believed that the older the child the longer the therapy sessions will have to last because of the long amount of time that the attachment disorder is left in the child. They become accustomed to it and it becomes a part of their lives. Because of this reason, parents are encouraged to try and treat attachment disorders as soon as they notice them no matter what the age of the child.

Filed Under: Treatments Tagged With: Attachment disorder, Child, Child and Adolescent, Childhood, Disorders, Health, Mental health, Parent

Avoiding the Creation of Attachment Disorder

There may be as many ways to treat an attachment disorder as any other cognitive misbehavior, but one of the simplest methods to handle this issue begins during a child’s infancy. Quite simply, don’t let your baby spend large amounts of time on its own, away from your nurturing care. It is during periods of time spent alone and feeling a lack of nurturing that the seeds of attachment disorders are planted. Simply put, from about the age of six months until three years, the young are susceptible to feelings of abandonment such as at no other time in their lives. The more that parents are able to foster extra care, attention, and love onto their child at this fragile age, the more likely an attachment disorder will not form.

However, there are obstacles, as in every life situation. Sometimes a child comes down with an illness or infection which requires a lengthy hospital stay. Even the most well-intentioned parent cannot visit at a hospital for very many hours of the day, as hospital visiting hours just don’t allow it. Although there is likely to be plenty of doctor and nurse interaction, the infant recognizes that they are strangers, and not the usual faces. It may seem like a conundrum – obviously the infant needs hospital care – but it can come at a cost. Being aware of the attachment issue prior to any scenario raising its head is the best strategy.

Short of valid reasons for an infant to be separated from its parents, it is essential to future mental health that a child receive much attention from both parents during its formative years. Children are sensitive to lopsided affection, in which one parent appears to give more affection and care than the other, so it’s vital that both parents exhibit effort. By taking the time to dote on their children, most parents will be able to avoid any sort of attachment disorder from occurring.

Filed Under: Treatments Tagged With: Attachment disorder, Child, Disorders, Foster care, Health, Mental health, Parent, Reactive attachment disorder

Tackling Attachment Disorder In Your Adopted Child Some Tips

Are you planning to adopt a child from an orphanage? If yes, then you need to know more about attachment disorders. Have you heard of the story of the jackal that tried to eat the grapes and concluded that the grapes were sour when it could not succeed? That is exactly how human beings work too.

If you desire something and fail to get it, you try to console yourself by saying that it was not worth having anyways. The next time you get a chance to enjoy the same thing, you will simply reject it due to the past pain. That is how attachment works.

Children seek attachment when they are young. If they do not get it, they find ways to reconcile themselves to the situation. They simply conclude that having attachment is not essential. If you have adopted a child from an orphanage, it is obvious that you will be taking the child from an attention deficient environment to an environment where you are ready to cater to each and every requirement of the child.

In such a scenario, to find that the child is not interested in your care can be very painful. Instead of presuming that the child is ungrateful, you should understand that the child is simply hiding from its past demons. It is not prepared to form attachment with you because it fears that you too shall abandon it. Considering the past experiences of the child, its fears are justified. What steps should you take to overcome this problem?

Well, it is obvious that you will have to be very patient. Secondly, you will have to take specific steps to solve the problem. Just showering the child with lots of attention is not going to work.

You may need counseling for not just the child but yourself and all your family members. You will need support of your spouse and the siblings of the child.

Filed Under: Treatments Tagged With: Adoption, Attachment disorder, Child, Children Youth and Family, Family, Mental health, Parenting, Reactive attachment disorder

What is Attachment Disorder?

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Attachment disorders, also called Reactive Attachment Disorder, is the result of a negative experience a child may have had when they were younger. This can include abuse, neglect or even abandonment. Children that have suffered through any of those will begin to learn and believe early on that they can’t depend on anyone for anything.

A child that has been unable to connect with a parent or primary caregiver can often suffer from an attachment disorder. There are many factors that can cause this such as: not picking a child up when it has been crying, a baby that hasn’t been fed or changed in hours, no communication or attention given to the baby, or even a child that has been moved around constantly through foster homes or adoption. The child never has a chance to bond with anyone, and may therefore suffer from this condition.

Symptoms of an attachment disorder in a child can include things like: not making eye contact, not talking or smiling, constantly crying, doesn’t make typical baby cooing sounds and even not interested in playing with toys or interacting with others.

If you have a child that is showing any of these symptoms, you need to work with the child to make them healthy and loving again. Always stay positive around your child; they can easily pick up on negative feelings. Try joking around or playing with him/her. You may find that this makes your bond a little stronger. Make sure you always have patience with your child. It may take him/her a long time to start trusting and bonding with you, and if you show patience with them, it can make the process go faster.

Use support from your friends and family to get through these hard times. Ask for help if you need it, and consider joining a support group so that you can meet other parents going through the same thing as you.

Filed Under: Symptoms Tagged With: Attachment disorder, Child, Foster care, Health, Mental health, Parent, Reactive attachment disorder, Support group

Various Available Treatments for Attachment Disorders

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Attachment disorders are behavioral disorders that develop in children during the first of two years of growth. They develop as a result of negative experiences during child’s early relationships. Psychologists argue that children who feel insecure, isolated or abandoned eventually learn that they cannot rely on others and view the world as a dangerous place. They exhibit physical and psychological distancing from adults, uncontrollable anger and poor impulse control.

Research has shown that children who suffer from reactive attachment disorders are likely to experience difficulties in forming healthy loving and lasting intimate relationships in their future life because they lack meaningful skills to do so. This leads to lack of trust, low self esteem and desire to be in control.
Attachment disorders can be repaired by building the child’s sense of security. This is important because the sole cause of attachment disorders is lack of trust and feelings of insecurity. Creating a sense of security therefore makes it easy for the child to accept love and support.

Setting consistent limits and loving boundaries for children with attachment disorders makes their world less scaring and gives them power to be in control over their lives. When such children understand what is expected of them, what is acceptable and what is not acceptable as well as the consequences of disobeying, they positively take charge over their lives and become less rebellious, knowing that they are in control.

Psychologists advice people living with children who suffer from attachment disorders to create secure infant attachment by always remaining calm when the child is upset. This is because the child has limited skills to handle his/her feelings and needs help. Staying calm therefore teaches the child that the feelings of anger can be managed.

Other alternatives for repairing attachment disorders include, being always available to resolve any conflicts, owning up mistakes, reconciling, listening, talking and playing with your child.

Filed Under: Treatments Tagged With: Attachment disorder, Child, Child and Adolescent, Disorders, Health, Mental health, Parent, Reactive attachment disorder