Comments on: Phobias and Fears in Children – Powerful Strategies To Try

By: Jenna F

Jenna F — Fri, 04 Aug 2023 10:49:57 +0000

In reply to Nicola S. Hi there - how did you go with the stepladder technique ? What progressive tasks/ experiences did you choose ? We have similar situation for our 6 year old. It’s been 3 years with the phobia

By: Amanda

Amanda — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 19:19:09 +0000

In reply to Nikki. This is exactly like my 7 year old son. Did yours ever overcome it?? Or should i seek out a therapist?

By: Debra D

Debra D — Tue, 07 Jun 2022 03:12:36 +0000

In reply to Lucile. My 5 yo can be incredibly social and outgoing but also incredibly cautious. It started with buttons. We thought he had SPD but it’s not advanced enough for OT. Then, he loved soccer, but refused to play in games. He didn’t like being watched and just put in half effort. Now, he loves swimming, but is terrified at the meet. He’s a good swimmer, but just freezes at the meet. What can I do to assure him it’s safe? He’s now saying he’s scared of going to kindergarten which he was excited about.

By: Donna

Donna — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 13:27:10 +0000

Our nearly 4 year old grandson has developed an intense and seemingly irrational fear of the sounds of washing machines (particularly at homes other than his own) and vacuums, and sump pumps, after being totally into them and most mechanical things anywhere for a year or more. This recently was such a fear for him he was unable to enjoy a family cabin weekend rental. At the same time, he is able to totally tolerate and enjoy many much louder sounds, like lawnmowers, and other lawn tools.

By: Kendra

Kendra — Tue, 18 Jan 2022 10:57:34 +0000

Thank you for this informative article. My son is 10 years old and is perfectly fine throughout the day but when it comes to bedtime, he worries about “not being able to fall asleep.” He often carries around an alarm clock waiting almost for bedtime so he can get to bed. We have tried slowly increasing the time he stays up to show him that he is getting enough sleep regardless of a few minutes here and there. He sometimes works himself up that he throws up or he may get out of bed a few times asking to be ‘tucked in again.” We are trying to help him see that there is nothing to worry about. Any other advice for what we can try to eliminate his need to go to bed at a certain time and the worry that sometimes leads him to throwing up thinking his body isn’t going to get enough sleep or he won’t be able to fall asleep? Thank you kindly!

By: Aoife Young

Aoife Young — Fri, 11 Jun 2021 11:02:19 +0000

In reply to Alex.

Alex/Nikki,
I would love to hear if ye have had any luck overcoming this fear of the wind with your children.
My 10 year old’s fear of the wind started in Aug 2018 when she got a fright on a very windy day on the beach. Her fear has now progressed to a full on phobia. In the last month she can’t seem to do any of the things she usually loves to do- go to school, friends house, cousins house, after school activities. She is refusing to go on a summer caravaning holiday that we have booked with her friends family a long time ago. She fears is could get windy. Her idea of wind is a light breeze to the rest of us.
It affects all the family. Anywhere I turn to get her help there seems to be waiting lists.
I’d love to be able to help her overcome it myself but she is a stubborn little one at the best of times! Any suggestion is met with a definite NO.
I’m kind of relieved to know I’m not the only one with a child with this phobia.
Would love to hear how ye got on.
Thanks.

By: Nicola S

Nicola S — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 17:34:20 +0000

Thank you for this article. Our 3 year old daughter has developed a fear of buttons and zips. We can’t think of a triggering event and she finds it difficult to explain why she doesn’t like them. She is ok holding them but really dislikes any of her clothes with buttons on. We are concerned as she will start school next year and the uniforms have buttons on. We will start the stepladder technique and see if that gives us some progress.

By: Amanda

Amanda — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 19:57:23 +0000

In reply to Elizabeth C. Hi Elizabeth. My 5 year old has started with the same fear and panic around bees and loved being outside before this. Did your daughter show improvement? Any tips on what worked for her?

By: Nikki

Nikki — Thu, 28 Jan 2021 03:08:31 +0000

In reply to Alex.

Hi Alex,
Just wondering if you’ve had any luck with your daughter’s fear of the wind? My 5 year old recently started going through the same thing. I believe it is triggered by the thought of hurricanes as well. It has become so intense that she cries during recess even with just the slightest breeze- fingers plugging her ears, eyes closed, refusing to play with her friends. A complete meltdown when it is actually windy- she won’t even look out the window. I can’t seem to ease her mind. Have you found any tactics that have worked for your daughter?
Thank you!

By: Alex

Alex — Thu, 10 Dec 2020 11:26:23 +0000

Thank you for this article! My 10 year old daughter has developed an irrational fear of wind. She checks the weather forecast and if it says anything more than ‘gentle breeze’ she gets very panicky that there is going to be a hurricane. She sees the trees moving gently in the breeze and thinks there is going to be a big storm. She is happy to stand outside and acknowledge that it is just a breeze, and she tells me she knows nothing bad will happen, yet she can’t get rid of the feeling of anxiety and foreboding about what might happen. She has been in a very strong wind on a hill about 10 months ago which I think has triggered this fear, and it’s been getting worse in the last few months. She asked if we get hurricanes in this country, having seen images of devastation in America last year, and although I told her hardly ever, she knows there was one in 1987 so in her mind it could easily occur again, and this is what she is focused on. We have talked about different wind speeds and drawn up a scale, but her mind still jumps very easily from ‘breeze’ to ‘hurricane’. She’s actually ok outside when its breezy, as I think she can feel it’s not too bad, but her anxiety is worst when at home looking out of the window and seeing the trees move and her brain just starts imagining the worst. Do you have any suggestions on how else we can try to manage this anxiety? Thank you