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Inhibited RAD displays symptoms such as lack of affect, difficulty displaying emotions/minimal emotional expression, withdrawn behavior, and a lack of interest in physical affection or being comforted. Other children may cling to any possible source of care in an indiscriminate manner. Some children will have difficulty bonding with caregivers. A baby who cries and rarely receives comfort or food may eventually stop crying when it learns that its needs will not be met.
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There are two types of reactive attachment disorder in children: inhibited reactive attachment disorder and disinhibited reactive attachment disorder. When those needs are repeatedly ignored, symptoms of attachment disorders may develop. Babies and young children are entirely reliant on caregivers to meet physical and emotional needs. A broken attachment may also occur if the child develops in an environment where the child feels unsafe and frightened or when there are repeated changes in primary caregivers (such as multiple moves through foster care). This may look like neglect, such as not having basic needs met: food, warmth, physical affection.
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Some infants and young children do not have a secure attachment to a primary caregiver (be it a parent or other stable source of care). In children, this is known as reactive attachment disorder, or RAD.
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An attachment disorder is the result of a broken attachment in early childhood.
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