Parents are often confounded when attempting to choose a reactive attachment disorder treatment for their children. First, the condition is rare, most often occurring in fostered or adopted children who have experienced extreme trauma or abandonment in early life. Second, there is no proven gold standard treatment for the disorder. There also exists controversy about some of the proposed treatments. Parents may be best helped by understanding options for treatment and then researching methods to determine the best attachment disorder treatment for their child.
The controversial treatments can involve one or more of the following therapies: holding, alternate comfort and deliberate provocation, binding a child tightly, or having him or her undergo a rebirthing process. Of these, some form of involuntary holding and eliciting anger then comforting are the most common. Holding is either loose and noninvasive of the child’s space or it can be very tight and against the child’s will.
In concert with holding, therapist and parents work together to attempt to see things from the child’s viewpoint. Clinicians who employ this method argue that holding and touch encourage the child to form bonds with caretakers. Critics suggest that these bonds are not those of love but instead inflict new trauma on the child.
Less controversial methods involve a variety of forms of psychotherapy that may be loosely constructed to fit the needs of the child. Various forms of play therapy, art therapy or narrative therapy could be part of the work. Parents are included and there may be family sessions, individual sessions, and education or teaching sessions for parent and child. Fans of this approach believe that there is no “quick fix” in attachment disorder treatment. Children and their families need time, and therapy may progress for several years, gradually accruing small gains.
In concert with psychotherapy or on its own, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is another potential attachment disorder treatment. EMDR has been shown as a useful method in treating conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder. Its use with attachment disorder is not scientifically proven, but it may prove helpful — especially with older children who can follow directions — in processing extreme trauma so a child can establish trust with caregivers.
There are also different venues in which treatment can take place. Many people opt for outpatient therapy. Children can also be hospitalized or placed in centers that only treat attachment disorder. These treatment centers may have a variety of theoretical approaches and some of them employ the more controversial methods listed above.
Any parent trying to assist a child who suffers from this disorder can face difficulties deciding which attachment disorder treatment is best. Parents are advised to stay away from controversial treatments or to engage in them with extreme care. Any form of treatment chosen should be conducted by a licensed mental health professional.
Without strong medical evidence, parents will need to research treatments and determine which ones seem most appropriate. They should only seek care from clinicians who have a long record of experience with this condition. The severity of attachment disorder and its consequences for the future, if poorly addressed, mean parents should not trust their children to unseasoned practitioners.
