Editing Pediatric Nursing (section)

=== Separation anxiety ===

Most intense in children from about 6 months through 3 years. The classic stages are:

# '''Protest:''' crying, screaming, clinging, rejecting strangers.
# '''Despair:''' withdrawal, sadness, decreased activity, disinterest in play.
# '''Detachment (denial):''' superficial cheerfulness and apparent adjustment.

'''Application note.''' Detachment is frequently misread as a good sign. A toddler who has stopped protesting and now interacts pleasantly with any staff member may have '''given up on the caregiver's return''', and the nursing priority is to restore caregiver contact.