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Coping and support
By Mayo Clinic staffIf you're a parent or caregiver whose baby or child has reactive attachment disorder, it's easy to become angry, frustrated and distressed. You may feel like your child doesn't love you — or that it's hard to like your child sometimes.
You may find it helpful to:
- Join a support group to connect with others who have children facing the same issues. You may find a support group in your local community or on the Internet.
- Check with social service agencies to see what resources are available in your community.
- Find someone who can give you a break from time to time. It can be exhausting caring for a child with attachment disorder. You'll start to get burnt out if you don't periodically have downtime.
- Be prepared to call for emergency help if your child becomes violent.
- Practice stress management skills, such as yoga or meditation, to help you relax and not get overwhelmed.
- Make time for yourself. Maintain your hobbies, social engagements and exercise routine.
- Acknowledge it's OK to feel frustrated or angry at times, and that the strong feelings you may have about your child are natural.
References
- Reactive attachment disorder of infancy or early childhood. In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR. 4th ed. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Association; 2000. http://www.psychiatryonline.com. Accessed June 23, 2009.
- Reactive attachment disorder. In: Moore DP, et al.: Handbook of Medical Psychiatry. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby; 2004. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/145545363-3/0/1243/32.html?tocnode=52436085&fromURL=32.html#4-u1.0-B0-323-02911-6..50032-4_311. Accessed June 23, 2009.
- Newman L, et al. Recent advances in the theories of and interventions with attachment disorders. Current Opinion in Psychiatry. 2007;20:343.
- Haugaard JJ, et al. Recognizing and treating uncommon emotional disorders in children and adolescents who have been severely maltreated: Reactive attachment disorder. Child Maltreatment. 2004;9:154.
- Cornell T, et al. Clinical interventions for children with attachment problems. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing. 2008;21:35.
- Hanson RF, et al. Reactive attachment disorder: What we know about the disorder and implications for treatment. Child Maltreatment. 2000;5:137.
- Report of the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children Task Force on Attachment Therapy, RAD and Attachment Problems. American Psychiatric Association. http://www.apa.org/divisions/div37/RADTaskForceManuscript.pdf. Accessed July 1, 2009.
- Coercive interventions for reactive attachment disorder. Association for Treatment and Training in the Attachment of Children. http://www.attach.org/apsac.htm. Accessed July 1, 2009.
- Child Abuse and Neglect Committee. American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. http://www.aacap.org/cs/root/policy_statements/coercive_interventions_for_reactive_attachment_disorder. Accessed June 29, 2009.
