48-5148.1-stranger anxiety-the fear of strangers that infants commonly display, beginning byabout 8 months of age.-Attachment-an emotional tie with another person; shown in young children by theirseeking closeness to the caregiver and showing distress on separation.-critical period-an optimal period early in the life of an organism when exposure tocertain stimuli or experiences produces normal development.-Imprinting-the process by which certain animals form strong attachments during anearly-life critical period.48.2-temperamenta person’s characteristic emotional reactivity and intensity.-basic trust-according to Erik Erikson, a sense that the world is predictable andtrustworthy; said to be formed during infancy by appropriate experiences with responsivecaregivers.48.5-Self-concept-all our thoughts and feelings about ourselves, in answer to the question,“Who am I?”Mod 48 recap-At about 8 months, soon after object permanence develops, children separated fromtheir caregivers display stranger anxiety.-Infants form attachments not simply because parents gratify biological needs but, moreimportant, because they are comfortable, familiar, and responsive.-Ducks and other animals have a more rigid attachment process, called imprinting, thatoccurs during a critical period.-Attachment has been studied in strange situation experiments, which show that somechildren are securely attached and others are insecurely attached.-Sensitive, responsive parents tend to have securely attached children.-Adult relationships seem to reflect the attachment styles of early childhood, lendingsupport to Erik Erikson’s idea that basic trust is formed in infancy by our experienceswith responsive caregivers. Show Separation anxiety is fussing and crying when a parent leaves the room. Some children scream and have tantrums, refuse to leave their parents' side, and/or have nighttime awakenings. Separation anxiety occurs when infants begin to understand that they are a separate person from their
primary caregiver but still have not mastered the concept of object permanence—the idea that something still exists when it is not seen or heard. Thus, when infants are separated from their primary caregiver, they do not understand that the caregiver will return. Because infants do not have a concept of time, they fear that the departure of their parents is permanent. Separation anxiety resolves as children develop a sense of memory. They can keep an image of their parents in mind when the
parents are gone and can recall that in the past, the parents returned. Parents should be advised not to limit or forego separations in response to separation anxiety; this response could compromise the child’s maturation and development. When parents leave the home (or leave the child at a child care center), they can try the following strategies: Encouraging the person caring for the child to create
distractions Leaving without responding at length to a child’s crying Remaining calm and reassuring Establishing routines at separations to ease the child’s anxiety Feeding the child and letting the child nap before parents leave (because separation anxiety may be worse when a child is hungry or tired) If the parents must momentarily go to another room in the home, they should call to the child while in the other room to reassure the child. This strategy gradually teaches the child that parents are still present even though the child cannot see them. Separation anxiety causes no long-term harm to children if it resolves by age 2 years. If it persists beyond age 2, separation anxiety may or may not be a problem depending how much it interferes with the child’s development. Stranger anxiety is manifested by crying when an unfamiliar person approaches. It is normal when it starts at about 8 to 9 months and usually abates by age 2 years. Stranger anxiety is linked with the infant’s developmental task of distinguishing the familiar from the unfamiliar. Both the duration and intensity of the anxiety vary greatly among children. Common sense should dictate management. If a new sitter is coming, having that person spend some time with the family before the actual day makes sense. When the event arrives, having parents spend some time with the child and sitter before they leave is prudent. If grandparents are coming to watch the child for a few days while parents go away, they should arrive a day or two early. Similar techniques can be used in anticipation of hospitalization. Click here for Patient Education  Copyright © 2022 Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA and its affiliates. All rights reserved. At what age do babies start recognizing strangers?By the time they're 6 months old, babies begin to know whether someone is a stranger, and by 9 months, little ones may be afraid of strangers or clingy with caregivers. Stranger anxiety commonly starts around 8 or 9 months of age, though how long it lingers and how upset your baby gets can vary a great deal.
What is the fear of strangers that infants commonly display?Stranger anxiety is manifested by crying when an unfamiliar person approaches. It is normal when it starts at about 8 to 9 months and usually abates by age 2 years. Stranger anxiety is linked with the infant's developmental task of distinguishing the familiar from the unfamiliar.
Is the fear of strangers commonly displayed beginning about 8 months of age?Fear of strangers starts at 4-5 months and usually becomes more intense at 7-10 months of age. It can last a few months or continue for much longer. It often decreases somewhere between 18 months and 2 years, but it can last longer depending on a child's temperament.
What does a fear of strangers in a nine month old indicate?Stranger anxiety is entirely normal for babies and young children. Even though it's frustrating, just remember it will pass, like so many other things in your child's development. Try to be patient, stay positive, and support your child the best you can until they've outgrown it.
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