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Behaviour/development

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5 year old separation anxiety around the house

3 replies

lollydu · 08/08/2024 09:20

My daughter has had very bad separation anxiety since she was around 2 but it's only in the house. I find this so strange and can't see a post here where their child is fine too my to school, going to friends houses, going to extra curricular clubs, everything like that is totally fine. Never had any "typical" separation anxiety like that. She's now 5 and I'm seriously at the end of my tether with it, if I need to go to the toilet she follows me upstairs and sits outside the door, if she needs to go she melts down unless someone is there sitting on the stairs. It's sad because things she's doing and very happy doing like colouring or playing are interrupted if I just need to go put some washing away or something and she just drops everything and follows me like a puppy. I'm finding it very suffocating, I've recently been diagnosed with ADHD and get very overwhelmed and frustrated with her. I don't want to feel that way and want to have infinite patience, how do I deal with this and can anyone offer me some hope that there will be some improvement. I thought there would be by now when we were dealing with it at 2 x

OP posts:
RappersNeedChapstick · 09/08/2024 07:24

My DD is ND and was very much like this at that age.

If you have ADHD could it be possible that your DD is also ND?

ForeverTired89 · 09/08/2024 07:59

My DD is 4 and is exactly the same. I find it very suffocating too. No advice but a hand hold!

lollydu · 09/08/2024 09:32

RappersNeedChapstick · 09/08/2024 07:24

My DD is ND and was very much like this at that age.

If you have ADHD could it be possible that your DD is also ND?

How old is your daughter now and did you see an improvement as she got older?

In a word yes I am concerned she has inherited my ADHD - she has other difficult traits such as emotionally volatile, inflexible, other anxieties around going to school but she masks very well in a school setting so I think I'll find it very difficult to get her any sort of help there or an official diagnosis. There has been absolutely no improvement in years, sometimes it gets slightly easier (awful but screen time helps me get things done occasionally or go to the toilet in peace!) it's just very tough. Parenting her is so hard at times but she's very loving and creative x

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