Attachment Disorder

father and daughter

Attachment Disorder

As a parent, you hope that your child will be able to build meaningful relationships both between you and your family members, as well as friends, co-workers and acquaintances. However, it can be difficult to know if your child has learned to the skills to do so when they seem disconnected from everyone around them. Creative Living Center is here to help you understand your child’s attachment challenges, and prepare them for the future.

 

How attachment disorder can affect your child:
  • difficulty connecting to others
  • difficulty managing his or her emotions
  • a lack of trust
  • low perception of self-worth
  • anger
  • A strong desire to be in control
Other symptoms to look for in children:
  • Does not smile
  • Doesn’t seem to notice when left alone
  • Rejects your efforts to bond, soothe and calm
  • Child spends a lot of time comforting themselves (sometimes by rocking)
  • Inconsolable crying
  • Does not seem to follow you with his or her eyes
  • Isn’t interested in playing with toys
  • Does not reach out to be picked up
  • Lack of cooing and baby sounds
  • Avoids eye contact

Is your child at risk for Attachment Disorder?

Attachment problems usually arise when children have difficulty establishing a consistent connection with a parent or primary care-giver.

Creative living center is here to help. When attachment problems are diagnosed young, they are often correctable. Creative Living Center offers a supportive environment where you and your child can feel comfortable and supported.

Factors that may contribute to, or cause, Attachment Disorder:

  • A baby cries and no one responds or tries to comfort them
  • A baby is hungry or wet, and this need is not met for hours
  • A baby feels alone because no one will look at, talk to, or smile at him or her
  • A young child gets attention only when acting out
  • A baby or young child is abused or mistreated
  • Inconsistency in meeting a child’s basic needs – leaving them to always wonder what to expect
  • A baby or young child is hospitalized or separated from parents
  • A baby or young child is moved from one caregiver to another (adoption, foster care, or the loss of a parent)
  • The parent is emotionally unavailable (depression, illness, or substance abuse)

What attachment disorder feels like to a child

  • Children when detachment disorder feel like no one cares
  • They have lost trust in others
  • The world feels like a very unsafe place