According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, fear is a natural feeling in young children. When children turn 2-years-old, they may develop fears that were not present in earlier life. These new fears may be due to negative experiences or the development of vivid imaginations and a lack of understanding of cause and effect.
Types of Fear
Children have common fears that occur during their early years of life. Young children often have anxiety when their parents are not present due to separation anxiety. Small children may be fearful of taking baths because they watch water go down the drain, which leads them to believe they may also go down the drain. Your child may be fearful of dogs due to their unpredictable and loud nature. Loud noises and the dark are sources of fear in some children.
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Effects of Fear
Fear is an instinct that has the potential to protect your child, such as when he veers away from a busy street due to the noise of the cars or his avoidance of stray dogs due to his fear. The process of dealing with fears teaches your child how to cope with changes and situations he will encounter throughout life. Phobias, which are strong and irrational fears, can be life altering. These phobias have the potential to influence and interfere with your child's daily activities because these fears are stifling.
Parental Intervention
Talk about your child's fears with her and show sympathy for what she is feeling. Conveying that many children share the same fears can be comforting. Do not show judgment or belittle your child for the fears that she is experiencing. Avoid prolonging her fear by forcing her to face the fear before she is ready. Expose your child to the thing she fears gradually, while being supportive and reassuring.
Considerations
Catering to your child's fears will validate his need to feel afraid, so when you know your child is afraid, do not change what you are doing, as this could lead him to develop a phobia. Show him that you do not share in his fears by being willing to expose him and yourself to the object of his fear.
Professional Help
If you find that your child's fears are life altering and your love and support does not seem to dissipate the fear with love and support, she may be in need of therapy. Chemical imbalances can lead to irrational behavior and fears, so if you see that therapy is not helping your child, consider having her evaluated by a psychiatrist who can prescribe drugs that may help lessen her fears.
