Fear in children
Fear in a child is an emotional response to an anticipated threat, that is, a child is awaiting a negative response from his environment. The fright can be focused on object such as fear of playing with a specific doll (big Barney ) or situation such as getting on an elevator. Fear for a child can also be expressed as "shyness" when strangers and or unfamiliar people come in close contact with the child. To help your child, stand by his side, provide warmth. Support him and together overcome the fear of the object, such as becoming a role model for your child and play with the object first, or gradually introduce the child to the fear object, pairing it with some pleasant event or rewarding you child while he is attempting to conquer the fear. The good news is that most children overcome their fear before they hit teenager years. Comments or question please e-mail: Bkohanchi@hotmail.com

Provided by:
Bethie Kohanchi M.A. LMFT Licensed Marriage, Child and Family Therapist 12401 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 300 Los Angeles CA 90025 Tel: 310.968.6648