In general, some helpful strategies for young children are the consistency and reassurance that the parents love them and will keep them safe. For older children, it is important to communicate with them about the school environment and friendship and to talk about some of the difficult or frightening things they may see on TV or hear on the radio. I would say, that above all else, open communication and unconditional caring goes a long way in helping children deal with anxious situations. Depending on the age of the child, the causes of anxiety shift. Children who are anxious at a young age require attention to avoid the anxiety progressing as they move toward adolescence.
Separation anxiety is very common for children at that age.
When parents and children work together to help a child this age cope with the feelings of loss and anxiety upon separation, this provides the child with experiences that he or she can refer to in future separation situations. So even though your child may be having difficulty now with separation, this in no way predisposes the child to later anxiety issues. If the symptoms of the separation anxiety are so severe that they prevent your child from functioning more days than not in the classroom, for example, then I would recommend seeking professional help so that you and your child feel better equipped to handle the separation anxiety. What this means is that the way a parent disciplines a child, for example, or the way siblings fight or threaten each other may, in fact, have a long-lasting effect on a child who already has an anxious temperament. Every child has a unique personality and a different threshold for various situations.