ATTACHMENT DISORDER
What is an attachment disorder?
Attachment disorder is a condition in which infants and young children don’t establish healthy attachments with parents or caregivers.
Attachment disorder may develop if a child’s emotional and physical needs are not met. When these needs are not met, the child does not develop a healthy bond with the parent/caregiver. Thus, they don’t learn how to regulate emotions, how to love or trust others, or how to recognize others' feelings.
Types of attachment disorders
Reactive attachment disorder (RAD).
This involves patterns of emotional withdrawal from caregivers. Children with RAD may resist or refuse to seek comfort when they’re upset.
Disinhibited social engagement disorder (DSED).
This involves being overly friendly with strangers. Children with DSED often approach, hug, and touch strangers easily.
Symptoms of attachment disorder
Signs that a child has an attachment disorder include:
- Not engaging in social interactions
- No interest in toys or playing games
- Lack of smile
- Bullying or hurting others
- Fear, sadness and withdrawal
- Self-destructive behaviours
- Lack of fear of strangers
- Avoiding eye contact
- Avoiding physical contact
- Frequent crying
- Rejects your effort to connect, soothe and calm them
- Spend a lot of time comforting themselves
- Doesn’t follow you with their eyes
- Not reaching out to be picked
Risk factors
Risk factors for attachment disorders include:
- Repeated change of primary caregivers
- Growing up in children homes or orphanage
- Physical, emotional or sexual abuse
- Poor parenting skills
- Neglect by parents
- Parents with mental health illnesses, criminal behaviour or drug abuse that affects their parenting traits
- Prolonged separation from parents or caregivers due to hospitalization or other reasons
Attachment disorder counselling and therapy in Winnipeg
- Therapy for attachment disorder involves identifying problem areas and reducing problematic behaviours.
- Oakville Wellness Center provides family therapy and counselling where kids and caregivers are taught on new ways of interacting and responding.
- Through therapy at Oakville Wellness Center, adults who have attachment issues may be able to build stronger bonds with friends, children and partners.
Attachment disorder therapist at Oakville Wellness Center in Winnipeg
- Our expert therapist in attachment disorder practices social skills with children and their caregivers.
- This helps them learn how to interact better with other kids in school and at home.
- Our therapist will help your kids gain confidence and experience.
- Book an appointment at Oakville Wellness Center today.
Additional Resources
If you are struggling with attachment disorder in your family the Attachment Association of Canada is an excellent resource. Their website provides you additional links and information to help your child and family with this issue.
This multi-organizational network actively develops and supports best practices for enhancing secure attachment across the life span through dissemination of information, education, networking and advocacy.