almost 7 year old with sudden separation anxiety

[minkin03]

my 7 yo dd suddenly has developed separation anxiety. it seems to have started over night and it's bad. she won't let me out of her sight even in the house, follows me everywhere. i can't even go to the bathroom without her coming in upset and nearly in tears b/c she was wondering what is taking me so long. my dh works out of the country for weeks at a time (has been doing this for 4 years now) and it's just me with the girls and i'm about to go crazy b/c i can't seem to get 5 secs. alone. she even will follow me out when i take the garbage to the street. i tell her every time what i'm doing or where i'm going. but if i happen to go to another room without telling her where i'm at she gets upset and cries when she doesn't know where i'm at. she has NEVER been like this. she does have other issues with anxiety but this is new.

[One_Girl]

I think you need to talk to her about her sudden change in behavior and ask her what is going on. Then tell her your limits and when you are going to take alone time. My dd isn't clingy but she does bother me in the bathroom and we had to talk about not doing that unless she is seriously hurt. Have you tried talking to her about trusting you because you are her mama and you have never up and left her, reminding my dd that I am her mama and she can trust me helped my dd accept a decision I made that she was nervous about. She does trust me to make good decisions for us so reminding her seemed to help her remember that and get over it.

If your dd doesn't show some changes soon I think you should look into the possibility that she has been hurt by someone. Her pediatrician or a child psychologist may be able to give you some advice about approaching the topic, some of them will talk to you and give advice even though you aren't a client.

[meemee]

she has anxiety. if she just started it i would give her some time to adjust.

to me it doesnt sound like she is scared of a monster or ghost. it seems she is scared something might happen to you.

anyone around you sick, dying? could she have seen something? even a commercial? read something?

does your dh work at an oil rig? could the BP thing be freaking her out?

one time my dd got freaked out over a movie she had seen a YEAR before. no idea why that triggered at that time. she took the monsters and made them worse. they were green flesh eating monsters. i had to go with her everywhere. in time she got better, but i went with her.

[neetling]

My daughter did this at 6 when she started school. It took forever for her to go back to how she was.

[Aquitane]

Oh, my gosh, I was going to start this same thread! Dd is 7 and for about 3 weeks has been the exact same way! I am a teacher and I've been home with her and her brother since June 16. I have not had a moment's peace in all the time I've been home.

I've asked her about it. At first it was just "I love you mama, and I want to be with you." Finally she told me that she's afraid. Of what? She says she doesn't know.

I'll try to distract her and then go into another room. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I've also started asking her to get or do something for me in another room. If the room is upstairs, I'll sit on the steps and wait for her. Kind of like weaning her off it, I guess?

I don't know what else to do! DH was on vacation for a couple of days last week, and he said he would be going crazy if he was home everyday. Well, duh, thanks a lot!