5 year old with seperation anxiety

[Sorka]

My 5 year old started school this year (3rd week this week). He has not been sleeping well for the last month or so. Waking between 5-15 times a night saying he is scared of being by himself and he keeps having bad dreams. He has taken it so far that he wont go to the toilet down the hall unless I am calling out to him whilst he is down there. We had him sleep with us the last few nights so that everyone can get some sleep as he ends up waking his brothers also with all the yelling and crying when we try to get him back to bed. But thi isn't the solution as it doesn't solve the problem.

Last week and this week he is not happy about seperating from us at school either. His teacher says he settles down within half an hour and then is fine for the day. Some times he's ok when we drop him off but then gets upset 10 minutes later takes another half hour to calm down. He has made friends and recieved an achievement award so is going quite well adn always has good stories to tell when he gets home.

He has always been very attached to us and cried when seperating at preschool last year on and off for 8 moths yet went to day care 3 days a week since 6 months old and never cried there once. He is a very bright sensitive boy and thinks about things alot which probablyl causes most of his worries.

I dont know who to go to for help. The Family clinic nurse is uncontactable this week and I could only get an appointment with the GP next week. I dont think I can cope another week getting no sleep. Any ideas?

[Crystalwings]

Sorka - I don't have many suggestions but hope that your little boy settles soon. He may be feeling anxious about school however doesn't know how to talk about his feelings.
My suggestion would be to ring the school and see if there is a social worker who you could talk to about these issues and maybe they can help you to develop a plan for DS. My sisters and I were always in eachothers beds or in mum and dads bed when we were younger, probably up to the age of 8 or 9 as we were scared of the dark but eventually you do grow out of it. My parents used to leave the hall light on for us. The only other suggestions I would have are night lights, maybe a book where he draws pictures about how he is feeling, talking lots about feelings and maybe taking a photo album to take to school of your family. If he is worried that you won't come back another thing I have seen work is for you to give him something special of yours to look after that he knows you will come back for. ie a special necklace etc to help him feel more secure. Also maybe a visual bedtime schedule that he could help you make. Get some picture's off the internet of brushing teeth, a story, a child cuddling there parents or saying goodnight, all the things that you do before bed. Laminate or contact these and put them on the wall for him to see, it's predictable so he may like that. Maybe you could also devise a plan of action for what he does if he wakes up and gets really scared. So instead of waking everyone up he knows that he can get out of bed and go to your room and the hall light will be on for him. If he does this by himself give lots of praise and acknowlegemant "wow you must feel really proud of yourself for coming into my room all by yourself even though you were scared."
HTH