Darkness, animals, separation anxiety and fear of shots at the doctor's office are common fears that children have. Fear is normal in children, and according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), close to 45 percent of children aged 6 to 12 have multiple fears. Understanding fear in children can help you decide whether or not your child's own anxieties are healthy.
The Difference Between Fear and Phobia
While fear is a common part of growing up, phobias are more severe. The AAP contends that a phobia is a fear that is so extreme that it negatively affects the daily life of a child. Your child may not be able to function normally due to a strong and irrational fear. In the case that your child has a phobia, you may consider psychiatric treatment.
Symptoms of Phobias
According to the AAP, symptoms of phobias in children include "palpitations, sweating, trembling and shaking, nausea, diarrhea, flushed face and disturbing thoughts and images." Health website Kids Health says that you can tell if the fear is a phobia if it is greatly "out of proportion to the cause of stress." Fear is often a one-time event whereas a phobia becomes a pattern that is pervasive.
Social Phobia
The AAP says that social phobia is one of the most debilitating phobias. According to the AAP, social phobia "almost always gets in the way of normal functioning. Young people with social phobia may be too intimidated to speak up in the classroom or present a speech." Social phobia can manifest itself physically, according to the Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders, through "tantrums, crying, 'freezing,' clinging to parents or other familiar people, and inhibiting interactions to the point of refusing to talk to others (mutism)."
Overcoming Phobias
If your child is experiencing life-altering symptoms from his fears or phobias, it might be time to seek professional help. A child psychiatrist may start by gradually exposing your child to the feared object. If he is afraid of dogs, you might start by showing him pictures and videos of dogs, move to seeing a puppy through a window, then on to petting it. Eventually, your child will no longer be afraid of the feared object.
Parental Help
You can help your child get past a fear or phobia. Kids Health suggests that you try listening and empathizing with your child, making sure she knows that you are aware that her fear is real. Also, do not avoid coming in contact with the feared object. By interacting well with the object, you can teach your child, through modeling healthy behavior, that her fears are unfounded. Teach your child deep breathing exercises and motivating mantras such as, "I can do this."
