Attachment Disorder

Attachment Disorders are psychiatric illnesses that can develop in young children who have problems in emotional attachments to others. Parents, caregivers, or physicians may notice that a child has problems with emotional attachment as early as their first birthday. Most children with attachment disorders have had severe problems or difficulties in their early relationships. They may have been physically or emotionally abused or neglected. Some have experienced inadequate care in an institutional setting or other out-of-home placement. Examples of out-of-home placements include residential programs, foster care or orphanage. Others have had multiple traumatic losses or changes in their primary caregiver. The exact cause of attachment disorders is not known, but research suggests that inadequate care-giving is a possible cause. The physical, emotional and social problems associated with attachment disorders may persist as the child grows older.