In babies, separation anxiety appears between 8 and 14 months, a stage in which they begin to become aware that they are an individual being and with crawling or the first steps, they see that it is possible to get away from their caregiver. If you don’t know about this baby season, below we are going to explain well what it consists of.
How does separation anxiety manifest in babies?
In babies, there are several signs to look for to know that they are suffering from separation anxiety. Among the most common are the following:
- Increase in nighttime awakenings.
- Resistance to going to sleep.
- Refusal to go with other people.
- Despair when the mother or father leaves your field of vision.
- Crying.
How to help the baby
If you want to avoid “tantrums” due to this disorder, here are some key tips to put into practice:
- If you have to stay with another person, let it be someone you trust and do it progressively.
- Sleep nearby.
- Always say goodbye to the baby before you leave.
- Favor and enhance contact.
Some games to practice object permanence and mitigate separation anxiety
If you want your baby not to suffer separation anxiety, below we are going to list some games that you can put into practice to achieve this. They are the following:
- The magic handkerchief: partially cover an object with a handkerchief so that the baby can uncover it or you can also cover yourself or your child with the handkerchief.
- Cucu-tat: cover your eyes and pretend you don’t see your baby. Then uncover your eyes and say “tat”, pretending that you have found it.
- Where does this voice come from?: you have to hide while we sing so that the baby can find you by following your voice.
- The Secret Box: Cut a hole in the top of a shoe box and insert objects. With this you will work to ensure that, even if you do not see the objects, they are still inside.