23rd November 2023

A child in hospital has spent a week in distress after being separated from his parents.

A child in hospital has spent a week in distress after being separated from his parents. He has refused to let the nurses on the ward give him a hug to comfort him. He has been very distressed at times and spends most of his time near the ward door, waiting for his parents to return.

How would Bowlby have described this phase of separation?

Select the SINGLE most appropriate option from the list below. Select ONE option only.