2 year old making her self throw up when dad leaves her at daycare

[FrustratedDCP]

I have a 2 yo daycare girl that screams and crys and actually makes herself throw up when her dad leaves her here.  She is perfectly fine a few minutes later and she does NOT do this when her mom brings her.  I think she has seperation anxiety and her dad is making it worse by consoling her and picking her up, then telling her he is leaving, and picking her up again when she crys.  He stayed for over 15 minutes today.  What can I try to make things better for her?  I even told the parents to try a new daycare and they don't want to so I am guessing that she does some of this at home to.

[Momdukes]

Distract her when he's leaving so that she isn't thinking about it... You have to stimulate her before the tantrum takes control.

[Rebecca Resnik, PsyD]

Hello,
  there's not much worse than seeing a child you care for that upset. You may want to bring in your director to help counsel this family in how best to manage the separation compassionately. Her father's attempts at giving her extra comfort may indeed be making the situation worse, particularly if he is unwittingly communicating his own anxiety about separating.

As to the making herself throw up, its still a debate in the literature as to whether or not children can actually force themselves to vomit. Since we don't know for sure that they can do so, probably best to interpret it as a sign of severe anxiety, and not anything she can control.

Best Wishes
Rebecca Resnik