Separation anxiety in 9 year old

[SpecialG]

My DC 9 has started to not want to attend school. He has always been "clingy" and goes through phases byt at the moment he does not want to leave me to go to school. He also becomes distressed if I go out to work. I mostly work from home but sometimes go to the office. This week I went into the office and he was distraught, not wanting me to leave the house. Clinging on to my coat, crying, really panicked look on his face, desperate for me not to go. He said he was feeling poorly and his tummy hurt (he always says this and is never actually poorly)

What’s the wider context? Situation in school? In your relationship? Has there been any family bereavement? Any events that distressed him?

My DS was exactly the same at this age, even twisting his ankle running down steps at school when I’d left one morning. This severe anxiety lasted maybe a year. I made some changes to my life to make it really predictable, eg no more staying away for work (I did this once a week on various days). I even let him sleep on our bedroom floor as he felt happy there and slept well. He’s now 14 and thriving.