Specific Phobia in Children
Childhood is a time of wonder, exploration, and growth, but it can also be marked by challenges and fears. Specific phobia, a common anxiety disorder in children, can significantly impact their daily lives and hinder their overall well-being.
What is Specific Phobia?
Specific phobia is a type of anxiety disorder characterized by an intense and irrational fear of a particular object, situation, or activity. While it’s normal for children to experience fears during their development, specific phobia involves an exaggerated and persistent fear that can interfere with their daily functioning.
Common Phobias in Children:
Children can develop specific phobias related to a wide range of stimuli. Some common phobias include:
- Animals (e.g., spiders, dogs, snakes)
- Natural environments (e.g., thunderstorms, darkness)
- Medical procedures (e.g., needles, doctor visits)
- Situations (e.g., heights, flying, crowded places)
- Objects (e.g., balloons, clowns, masks)
Causes of Specific Phobia in Children:
The exact causes of specific phobia in children are complex and multifaceted. This includes biological vulnerabilities (genetic factors, temperament factors), however that does not mean the child necessarily inherited their phobia. It is likely a combination of biological/genetic vulnerabilities, individual experiences (e.g. something has happened to the child), and environmental factors (e.g., receiving lots of extra support for avoiding the phobic objects, or seeing/hearing fearful messages) that contribute to the development of phobias.
Symptoms of Specific Phobia in Children:
Common signs may include:
Intense fear or anxiety: The child experiences overwhelming fear or anxiety when confronted with the phobic stimulus.
Avoidance: The child goes to great lengths to avoid the feared object or situation, which can impact daily activities.
Physical symptoms: Symptoms such as rapid heartbeat, sweating, trembling, and nausea may accompany the fear response.
Distress: The fear is distressing and interferes significantly with the child’s ability to function in various settings.
Strategies for Supporting Children with Specific Phobia:
Open communication: Encourage your child to express their fears and feelings. Listen attentively and validate their emotions without judgment.
Gradual exposure: Gradual exposure to the feared object or situation in a controlled and supportive environment can help desensitize the child over time.
Positive reinforcement: Reward brave behaviour and efforts to confront fears. Reinforce the idea that facing fears can lead to positive outcomes.
Professional intervention: If the specific phobia significantly impacts the child’s life, consider seeking the assistance of a mental health professional. A psychologist may employ Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to help your child overcome their phobia.
Author: Linh Nguyen, Bach Psychology (hons)
Linh is a provisional psychologist at M1 Psychology. Her educational background includes a Bachelor of Psychological Science (Hons), and she is currently in the final stages of completing her Postgraduate Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology.
To make an appointment with Linh Nguyen try Online Booking. Alternatively, you can call M1 Psychology Loganholme on (07) 3067 9129
Reference:
Wang, Z., Whiteside, S. P., Sim, L., Farah, W., Morrow, A. S., Alsawas, M., … & Murad, M. H. (2017). Comparative effectiveness and safety of cognitive behavioral therapy and pharmacotherapy for childhood anxiety disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Pediatrics, 171(11), 1049-1056. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2017.3036
Vietnamese translation of this article:
N?i ám ?nh s? hãi c? th? ? tr? em
Tu?i th? là kho?ng th?i gian c?a nh?ng ?i?u k? di?u, khám phá và tr??ng thành, nh?ng nó c?ng có th? ???c ?ánh d?u b?ng nh?ng th? thách và n?i s? hãi. N?i ám ?nh c? th?, m?t ch?ng r?i lo?n lo âu ph? bi?n ? tr? em, có th? ?nh h??ng ?áng k? ??n cu?c s?ng hàng ngày c?a chúng và c?n tr? s?c kh?e t?ng th? c?a chúng.
N?i ám ?nh s? hãi c? th? là gì?
N?i ám ?nh s? hãi c? th? là m?t lo?i r?i lo?n lo âu ???c ??c tr?ng b?i n?i s? hãi mãnh li?t và phi lý ??i v?i m?t ??i t??ng, tình hu?ng ho?c ho?t ??ng c? th?. M?c dù vi?c tr? tr?i qua n?i s? hãi trong quá trình phát tri?n là ?i?u bình th??ng, nh?ng n?i ám ?nh c? th? liên quan ??n n?i s? hãi quá m?c và dai d?ng có th? c?n tr? ho?t ??ng hàng ngày c?a tr?.
Nh?ng n?i ám s? hãi ?nh th??ng g?p ? tr? em:
Tr? em có th? phát tri?n nh?ng n?i ám ?nh c? th? liên quan ??n nhi?u lo?i. M?t s? n?i ám ?nh s? hãi ph? bi?n bao g?m:
??ng v?t (ví d?: nh?n, chó, r?n)
Môi tr??ng t? nhiên (ví d?: giông bão, bóng t?i)
Các th? t?c y t? (ví d?: kim tiêm, th?m khám bác s?)
Các tình hu?ng (ví d?: ?? cao, bay, n?i ?ông ng??i)
?? v?t (ví d?: bóng bay, chú h?, m?t n?)
Nguyên nhân gây ám ?nh s? hãi c? th? ? tr? em:
Nguyên nhân chính xác c?a n?i ám ?nh c? th? ? tr? em r?t ph?c t?p và nhi?u m?t. S? k?t h?p c?a các ?i?m y?u sinh h?c/di truy?n, tr?i nghi?m cá nhân (ví d?: ?i?u gì ?ó ?ã x?y ra v?i tr?) và các y?u t? môi tr??ng (ví d?: nh?n ???c nhi?u s? h? tr? b? ?? tr?n tránh các v?t th? ám ?nh ho?c nhìn/nghe th?y nh?ng thông ?i?p gây s? hãi) góp ph?n gây ra s? phát tri?n c?a n?i ám ?nh.
Các tri?u ch?ng ám ?nh c? th? ? tr? em:
Các d?u hi?u ph? bi?n có th? bao g?m:
S? hãi ho?c lo l?ng d? d?i: Tr? tr?i qua n?i s? hãi ho?c lo l?ng t?t ?? khi ??i m?t v?i kích thích ám ?nh.
Né tránh: Tr? c? g?ng h?t s?c ?? tránh né ??i t??ng ho?c tình hu?ng s? hãi, ?i?u này có th? ?nh h??ng ??n các ho?t ??ng hàng ngày.
Tri?u ch?ng th?c th?: Các tri?u ch?ng nh? nh?p tim nhanh, ?? m? hôi, run r?y và bu?n nôn có th? ?i kèm v?i ph?n ?ng s? hãi.
N?i s? hãi gây khó ch?u và c?n tr? ?áng k? ??n kh? n?ng ho?t ??ng c?a tr? trong nhi?u môi tr??ng khác nhau.
Các chi?n l??c h? tr? tr? m?c ch?ng ám ?nh s? c? th?:
Giao ti?p c?i m?: Khuy?n khích con b?n bày t? n?i s? hãi và c?m xúc c?a mình. Hãy ch?m chú l?ng nghe và xác nh?n c?m xúc c?a tr? mà không phán xét.
Ti?p xúc d?n d?n: Ti?p xúc d?n d?n v?i ??i t??ng ho?c tình hu?ng gây s? hãi trong môi tr??ng ???c ki?m soát và h? tr? có th? giúp tr? b?t nh?y c?m theo th?i gian.
C?ng c? tích c?c: Khen th??ng nh?ng hành vi d?ng c?m và n? l?c ??i m?t v?i n?i s? hãi. C?ng c? ý t??ng r?ng vi?c ??i m?t v?i n?i s? hãi có th? d?n ??n k?t qu? tích c?c.
S? can thi?p c?a chuyên gia: N?u n?i ám ?nh c? th? ?nh h??ng ?áng k? ??n cu?c s?ng c?a tr?, hãy cân nh?c tìm ki?m s? tr? giúp c?a chuyên gia s?c kh?e tâm th?n. Nhà tâm lý h?c có th? s? d?ng Li?u pháp Nh?n th?c-Hành vi (CBT) ?? giúp con b?n v??t qua n?i s? hãi.