20 month-old with sudden separation anxiety?

virginiagirl11

My 20 month-old son goes to daycare three days a week and stays at home with our regular babysitter two days a week while DH works from home upstairs. He has been doing just fine with daycare, and especially well with the babysitter because they absolutely adore each other.

However, just this week, it's like DS suddenly has separation anxiety or something. He has cried and run after DH both days at daycare and spent this morning crying and clinging to DH while the babysitter was there, even though it was literally just like any other morning. Both days when we got home from daycare, he was like velcro on DH, wanting to be near him and play with him constantly. We are really involved with and attentive toward him in general so he shouldn't be attention-starved.

He's not feverish and we think he got through his major teething for a while. We've been occasionally talking about the baby in my tummy, but we don't make a big deal out of it and he seems fine with it so far so I don't think it's suddenly that. The only life change that I can possibly think of is that a couple of his friends from daycare moved up to new rooms this week. However, he seems to get along decently with everyone, and it doesn't explain why he acted this way at home with the babysitter today.

Is there a brief period of separation anxiety that kids this age go through?

smiling76

We've gone through that before with DS1.  It could be so many things. 

1.  The trajedy in CT last week I think left us all on edge and with a certain sadness.  I think the children pick up on that becuase my boys are EXTREMELY clingy all of a sudden.  When DS1 went through this it was right at the time my FIL suddenly passed way. 

2.  The pregnancy--- sometimes I think kids just "know"....LOL.  I too was pregnant when DS1 went through this

3.  friends--- there is an early connection with friends that begins at this age.  He absolutely could be going through some separation.  I know at our daycare they actually specifically don't move kids up one at a time (except in the baby room once they reach a certain age)--but actually move all of the kids at the same time so that they can continue with their connections and feeling of "safety".

So you aren't alone---very very normal.  But keep an eye on him--he could have an ear infection or getting a cold or something that would make him want his mommy more.

 

Valjoy11

DS has been like this lately too.  He's very sociable normally, but for the last couple of weeks he's been very clingy, asking about me if I'm out of the room and coming to find me most of the time too!  He's also been very shy around people he knows well and loves.  He's going through the 18 month sleep regression too, so I don't know if he's more sensitive because of that, but in general I do think its just his age.  I figured this would happen at some point, and I guess that time is now. GL!

SharonB222

He didn't have it before?

My LO developed separation anxiety 2-3 weeks ago as we approached 16 mos.  It's very brief at the DCP, but she won't go to be held by others like she used it.  We tried sitting her on Santa's lap and failed.  Previous to this she was the MOST independent easy-going toddler.  I am not sure how long this phase lasts.  I hear it peaks at 18 months, but then some are early and same late.

kwitt22

DDs separation anxiety has def gotten worse since she hit 20 mos. She gets very upset when I leave and wants me to everything. However I noticed that she also gets upset when we leave the sitters. She doesn't want to go. So I dont know if it's the change that's bugging her Or separation anxiety.