These reflexes, which fade as the infant matures, alert caring adults. Repeated loving responses help babies trust that nurturing adults will help them manage their fear and distress. A common fear during infancy is stranger anxiety, or a heightened awareness of strangers, which peaks at around 6 to 8 months.
Babies have, by then, formed intimate relationships with people who care for them. Unfamiliar people will stand out, and babies will be sensitive to their personal space. If an unfamiliar person rushes up to an 8-month-old with an energetic hello, he may receive a wail of a response! Ask him to speak softly, from a comfortable distance. One must adjust to each baby's unique personality and wait until the baby gives a signal.
Eye contact or a gesture toward the new person will signal that the baby is ready to interact. During the second year, the toddler has a surge in his understanding of how dependent he is on the love and protection of significant adults. As a result, fear of being separated from loved ones may increase and he will need patient reassurance. Sometimes toddlers have unrealistic fears based on their limited understanding of cause and effect.
For example, the toddler might see water and soap suds going down the drain and think that he might disappear down the drain, too! Although toddler language is limited, listen carefully and ask simple questions. Respect and accept the toddler's unrealistic fear by saying, "I know you are afraid.
I will be here if you need me to help you," or, "I'll keep you safe. Since the toddler is just beginning to understand how the world works, new experiences may be frightening. Use simple and clear language to describe new experiences beforehand. Try to blend the familiar with the unfamiliar.
If a toddler is using an unfamiliar play space, for instance, couple the experience with a familiar friend. Then give him time to adjust. Two-year-olds begin to use play to manage their fears. As a result, during his pretend play, he becomes the scary monster. Being "in charge" of the monster helps him to manage his fear. Sometimes children relive scary events during their play. Children let go of lingering anxiety by "playing it out.
Allow them to develop the "script. It triggers bursts of adrenaline, which help to keep children safe. Learning to manage these powerful feelings is a lifelong process. When Shana saw the goats, she started to cry uncontrollably. Shana's teacher took a minute to try to understand what was going on. Ah, yes! Didn't one of the goats in the story butt someone into the monster troll's mouth? Threes often find it difficult to separate fantasy from reality.
There is so much going on in the world of a 3-year-old-so much mastery, so many things they've already become familiar with. At the same time, however, children this age may be disturbed by characteristics they find unfamiliar. Jessie cries when his teacher comes back after winter break with a beard.
They don't want a parent to leave them at daycare, or at bedtime. They may cry, cling, and try to stay near their parent. Young kids fear "pretend" things. Kids ages 4 through 6 can imagine and pretend. But they can't always tell what's real and what's not. To them, the scary monsters they imagine seem real. They fear what might be under their bed or in the closet. Many are afraid of the dark and at bedtime. Some are afraid of scary dreams.
Young kids may also be afraid of loud noises, like thunder or fireworks. Older kids fear real-life dangers. When kids are 7 or older, monsters under the bed can't scare them much because they know they're not real. At this age, some kids begin to fear things that could happen in real life. They may have a fear that a "bad guy" is in the house.
They may feel afraid about natural disasters they hear about. Some fears are real and some are imaginary. Common fears include fear of the dark, burglary, war, death, separation or divorce of their parents, and supernatural beings such as ghosts and monsters. Suggestions for helping your child include:. Many children are afraid of the dark. Their active imaginations, and their inability to always distinguish between reality and fantasy, means they may believe that monsters are under the bed or in the wardrobe waiting to spring once the light goes out.
There are many ways that parents can help their child to overcome a fear of the dark. The first step in helping your child to overcome their irrational fear is to accept their feelings as real and respond to them sensitively.
Suggestions include:. Sometimes a child is so fearful that it interferes with their daily life and play. Seek professional help if you consider your child is particularly burdened with fears or phobias. Children can be taught how to manage their own anxiety, and parents can learn helping strategies. This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:.
Children may feel stomach pain for a range of reasons and may need treatment. Adoption can give a secure family life to children who can?
A person with agoraphobia is afraid to leave familiar environments, because they are afraid of having a panic attack. Allergy occurs when the body overreacts to a 'trigger' that is harmless to most people. Children should always be closely supervised near animals and taught how to behave safely around pets. Content on this website is provided for information purposes only.
Information about a therapy, service, product or treatment does not in any way endorse or support such therapy, service, product or treatment and is not intended to replace advice from your doctor or other registered health professional. The information and materials contained on this website are not intended to constitute a comprehensive guide concerning all aspects of the therapy, product or treatment described on the website. All users are urged to always seek advice from a registered health care professional for diagnosis and answers to their medical questions and to ascertain whether the particular therapy, service, product or treatment described on the website is suitable in their circumstances.
The State of Victoria and the Department of Health shall not bear any liability for reliance by any user on the materials contained on this website. Skip to main content. Home Anxiety. Anxiety and fear in children. One more glass of water! When these fears rear up, as parents our natural instinct is often to soothe and comfort. The key is an invisible skill called self-regulation. Self-regulating is essentially the ability to process and manage our own emotions and behaviors in a healthy way.
Most grown-ups practice self-regulation without a second thought. But for kids, building self-regulation takes time, practice and space to learn — which means parents have get comfortable with letting kids be a little un comfortable as they figure things out. But for that to happen, parents often have to address their own anxiety first.
But, though jumping in might help your child be less afraid in the moment and feel better to you , in the long run it can make it more difficult for her to learn how to calm herself down. Be brave! See you in the morning! Asking specific questions can help. Validate, then move on. Make a plan.
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