Abandoned child syndrome is a proposed behavioral or psychological condition that is said to result from the loss of one or both

parents A parent is a caregiver of the offspring in their own species. In humans, a parent is the caretaker of a child (where "child" refers to offspring, not necessarily age). A ''biological parent'' is a person whose gamete resulted in a child, a male t ...

. Abandonment may be

physical Physical may refer to: *Physical examination In a physical examination, medical examination, or clinical examination, a medical practitioner examines a patient for any possible medical signs or symptoms of a medical condition. It generally co ...

or emotional; that is, the parent may abandon the child by failing to be present in their life, or by withholding affection, nurturing, or stimulation. As a result, abandoned children may also suffer physical trauma, which may stem from factors such as neglect, malnutrition, starvation, and abuse. Furthermore, abandonment may be either intentional or non-intentional; the parent may willingly leave the child, or they may be alienated from the child by force. Forced separation of a parent from their child may stem from a number of potential causes, including (but not limited to) alienation following a divorce, placement of the child in foster care, or political conflicts. With the nurture and support of a "facilitative environment", the child can develop the ability to cope with the trial of abandonment. Abandoned child syndrome is not currently recognized as a

mental disorder A mental disorder, also referred to as a mental illness or psychiatric disorder, is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. Such features may be persistent, relapsing and remitt ...

in popular medical manuals like the ICD-10,

DSM-IV The ''Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders'' (DSM; latest edition: DSM-5-TR, published in March 2022) is a publication by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) for the classification of mental disorders using a common langu ...

, or

DSM-5 The ''Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition'' (DSM-5), is the 2013 update to the '' Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders'', the taxonomic and diagnostic tool published by the American Psychiatri ...

Signs and symptoms

Symptoms may be physical or mental, and may extend into adulthood and perhaps throughout a person's life. These symptoms can show themselves differently in childhood and in adulthood. Adults that have experienced abandonment often display negative behaviors in current relationships. Among these symptoms include issues with intimacy, relationship sabotage, insecurity, codependency, being a "people pleaser", etc. In children, separation anxiety is a normal part of their development and is usually experienced between 10 and 18 months. It is common to end around the age of 3, but can be concerning when the symptoms of separation anxiety occur for an extended period of time. This can lead children to manifest symptoms such as a worry of being abandoned, feeling anxious when dropped off at a daycare, school, or family member's house, clinginess, or even being ill but not showing the physical attributes of being ill. Children who have experienced the loss of a caregiver or parent may also experience more drastic symptoms in their life such as an addiction to drugs or harmful substances, eating disorders, and self-harmful thoughts and actions. Adopted children may display unique symptoms of abandonment such as aggression, withdrawal, depression, sleeping troubles, etc.

Causes

When children are raised without the psychological or physical protection they need, they may internalize a substantial amount of fear, which is also referred to as chronic loss. Not receiving the necessary psychological or physical protection results in abandonment. If children live with repeated abandonment, these experiences can cause shame. Shame arises from the painful message implied in abandonment: "You are not important. You are not of value." This is the pain from which people need to heal. As the child grows older, these internalizations can lead to them physically hurting themselves, or getting into drugs and alcohol. Over time they will start to treat the people close to them differently and will become more irritable and angry. Another cause for these internalizations can be the Socio-Economic status of the child's family and the environment they are surrounded with.

Notes

{{reflist Mental disorders diagnosed in childhood Child abandonment

Signs and symptoms

Causes

See also

Notes