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, as well as put them in dangerous and potentially unsafe situations. Children with DSED may, for example, walk off with a stranger in a public place.

DSED is exclusively a childhood disorder. It is usually diagnosed after nine months, but before age 6. 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. Like reactive attachment disorder, it is commonly diagnosed in children raised in foster care or institutional environments.