Have you ever heard of Reactive Attachment Disorder? This is a serious psychological disorder that occurs in children before the age of 5, in which their ability to form emotional bonds is affected. Generally, children with this disorder are more cold, distant, shy, and very detached from reference people, and the causes of this condition are mainly due to mistreatment. Throughout this article, we will discover more information about this disorder that drastically affects children’s emotional relationships with their parents and/or caregivers.

Causes of the disorder

Reactive Attachment Disorder arises in childhood. The main causes of this condition are as follows:

  • Mistreatment;
  • abandonment or loss of parents;
  • violent behaviors by caregivers;
  • repeated change of caregivers.

Fortunately, the chances of a child developing this disorder are very low. It is a very rare condition to occur even in children who have been severely neglected. As we already know, the experiences we have during childhood shape our brains, and this is also true for negative experiences. As the brain is still developing during childhood, it is sensitive to any stimulation, whether good or bad, which is why experiences are so important at this stage of life.

Signs of the disorder

In general, this disorder shows a pattern of inhibited and withdrawn behavior toward adults, with low emotional and social responsiveness. In addition, children with Reactive Attachment Disorder may display aggressive behaviors, as well as episodes of unexplained sadness and fear. Normally, they show a decrease or even absence of positive emotional expression when interacting with parents or other caregivers, and also show difficulty in regulating their emotions. Children with Reactive Attachment Disorder present inappropriate attachment behavior patterns, where they rarely or almost never turn to parents or other caregivers for comfort, protection, and affection. Thus, the main characteristic is that they do not form consistent bonds with people. These symptoms cause distress and impair various areas of the child’s life, and if not treated in time and if the child remains in an unhealthy environment, such signs may persist for years. Other conditions such as malnutrition, cognitive delays, and even depressive symptoms can emerge along with the signs of this disorder.

Treatment

Treatment for Reactive Attachment Disorder must be conducted by professionals such as psychiatrists and/or psychologists to encourage and enable the creation of healthier emotional bonds. It may be necessary for parents and/or caregivers to also undergo therapy so they can learn how to deal with the child and the situation that is occurring.