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Understanding Stranger Anxiety
Okay, so lets start with the basics.
What exactly is stranger anxiety, when does it start, and what causes it?
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Here, well get into all that…and more.
They are also exhibiting emotional preferences for their primary caregivers.
At What Age Does Stranger Anxiety Start?
When Is the Peak of Stranger Anxiety?
And when does stranger anxiety peak?
Psychological and Cognitive Factors
There are several factors that contribute to stranger anxiety.
Its important to keep in mind, though, that stranger anxiety isnt really a medical or psychological condition.
Its a developmental phase that little ones go through as they learn to understand the world around them.
But this is a kind of human adaptation.
It’s their way of showing a preference for their primary caregivers and a protective mechanism against potential threats.
Its a memory skill that develops in the first year of life.
Object permanence is related to stranger anxiety, says Dr. Tausig.
), Dr. Tausig describes.
Weve been there and the struggle is real.
Although pretty much all kids experience it, some kids have more intense bouts than others.
Many parents find that stranger anxiety looks totally different from one kid to another.
No worriesthats normal, too.
Most children will be done with this phase by 36 months, or about three years of age.
In and of itself, stranger anxiety usually fades without long-term effects.
For example, research has linked severe stranger fear with the later development ofsocial anxiety.
Worley says that by and large, kids outgrow stranger anxiety in their own time.
What kind of health professional should you see?
Its usually best to start with your pediatrician.
Trust usyou didnt do anything wrong.
Your kid is, well, being a kid.
This too shall pass.
Still, in rare cases, stranger anxiety does indicate a bigger issue.
APA Dictionary of Psychology.Stranger Anxiety.
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Busman R.Separation Anxiety: What Parents Should Know.
Anxiety and Depression Association of America.
Italian Journal of Pediatrics.
2017;43:90. doi:10.1186/s13052-017-0408-2
Swanson WS.How to Ease Your Childs Separation Anxiety.
American Academy of Pediatrics.
