Disinhibited social engagement disorder

Disinhibited social engagement disorder (DSED), or disinhibited attachment disorder, is an attachment disorder in which a child has little to no fear of unfamiliar adults and may actively approach them. It can significantly impair a young child's ability to relate with adults and peers, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, as well as put them in dangerous and potentially unsafe conditions. Common examples of this include sitting on the lap of a person they do not know, or leaving with a stranger.

DSED is exclusively a childhood disorder. It is usually diagnosed after nine months, but sometimes symptoms don't appear until much later, leading to late diagnoses after five years. Some signs of DSED may present into adolescence and young adulthood. Infants and young children are at risk of developing DSED if they receive inconsistent or insufficient care from a primary caregiver.