This is an English rendering of a Polish public-health reference. The care paths it names (112, night and holiday care NiŚOZ, primary care POZ) are Polish. This is not medical advice.

PL

This is not medical advice Life-threatening emergency (Poland): 112

Home › Emotions and toddler defiance

How long does separation anxiety last and when does it pass?

Applies to age: 6–36 months

In short

Separation anxiety is common in children between 6 months and 3 years of age and should pass around the age of 2–3, although it may last longer. It is worth getting a consultation when it lasts longer than a few weeks.

Sources: NHS, Portal PacjentaChecked: Report an error

What is normal

All claims: international norm

  • Separation anxiety and fear of strangers are common in young children aged 6 months to 3 years; they may last longer and also appear at other times of stress or anxiety.
    Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)

    Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:

    Separation anxiety and fear of strangers is common in young children between the ages of 6 months and 3 years, although it can last longer and may also happen at other times of stress or anxiety.

    NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-16 · license [1]

  • Separation anxiety is a normal stage of a child's development and should pass around the age of 2–3.
    Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)

    Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:

    This is a normal stage in a child's development and should stop at around age 2 to 3.

    NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-16 · license [1]

  • Separation anxiety is a normal part of a child's development, and the child usually grows out of it.
    Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)

    Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:

    But it's a normal part of your child's development and they usually grow out of it.

    NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-16 · license [1]

When to worry

All claims: international norm

  • Anxiety becomes a problem for a child when it starts to get in the way of their everyday life.
    Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)

    Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:

    Anxiety becomes a problem for children when it starts to get in the way of their everyday life.

    NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-16 · license [1]

Worth discussing with a doctor:

  • When separation anxiety causes a child a lot of distress, the child stays upset for a long time after the separation, or the anxiety lasts longer than a few weeks (each of these conditions alone), it is worth seeing a doctor.
    Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)

    Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:

    If your child's separation anxiety is causing them a lot of distress, they are upset for a long time after you have left them, or it has been going on for more than a few weeks, talk to your health visitor.

    NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-16 · license [1]

See a doctor

  • What worries a parent about their child's development is worth discussing with a specialist, using the advice of a midwife, nurse or pediatrician.
    Source: Portal Pacjenta – show the quote

    Verbatim quote from the source:

    Polish original

    Warto jednak skonsultować ze specjalistą to, co Cię zaniepokoiło i korzystać z rad położnej, pielęgniarki czy pediatry.

    Portal Pacjenta · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-16 · license [2]

  • A parent can also talk about their child's development with a child psychologist.
    Source: Portal Pacjenta – show the quote

    Verbatim quote from the source:

    Polish original

    Możesz też porozmawiać z psychologiem dziecięcym.

    Portal Pacjenta · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-16 · license [2]

international norm “International norm” next to a section heading means its claims come from a non-Polish source, because no Polish source in our registry covers this topic. When this applies to only some of the claims, the foreign ones carry the same label next to their source.

International norm

“International norm” next to a section heading means its claims come from a non-Polish source, because no Polish source in our registry covers this topic. When this applies to only some of the claims, the foreign ones carry the same label next to their source.

Sources

  1. NHS (nhs.uk, Anglia)
    License: Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: NHS (nhs.uk, Anglia). Content summarized and translated by the editors; changed relative to the original. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. The summary is ours and is not attributed to the NHS.
  2. Portal Pacjenta (pacjent.gov.pl)
    License: CC BY 3.0 PL. Source: Portal Pacjenta (pacjent.gov.pl). Content summarized and translated by the editors; changed relative to the original.

See an error or outdated information? Report an error in this answer. Answer checked against the sources on October 20, 2026.

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