NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665

April 29, 1999

Some Childhood Fears May Blossom with Warm Weather

The first warm days of springtime produce a blur of outdoor activities involving people, pets and insects. For children with fears of animals and insects, the season may also spawn anxiety, but that stress can be prevented because children's fears of critters are learned behaviors, says a researcher at North Dakota State University.

"Children who are afraid of a particular type of animal or insect usually either had a bad experience or have picked up on their parents' fears," says Laura DeHaan, an assistant professor in NDSU's child development and family science department.

Even though this type of fear is transferrable, a child may not fear the same animals or insects as a parent, DeHaan says. So, the parent who is terrified of mice may have a child who shares an intense fear, but of snakes.

The best way for parents to manage fear in their children is to find ways to prevent it, and those prevention efforts should start at an early age, DeHaan says. Talk about animals and insects. Show children realistic photographs in books. Progress to animated portrayals—on videos, in movies, and via CD-ROM and the Internet.

"Make sure of the content of these resources before you engage children in them," DeHaan says. "You don't want a picture suddenly popping up unexpectedly and scaring your child."

Petting zoos offer good opportunities for children to learn how to approach animals. For parents who fear animals, these trips may prove too unnerving, so DeHaan suggests using a trustworthy surrogate who isn't afraid. But skittish parents need to acknowledge their fears while stressing the reality of the situation—that most fears of animals and insects are not rational.

"There's a lot of benefit to spending time with animals when a child is at a young age," DeHaan continues. "Having a pet in the home when children are young is a good idea as long as the pet is tolerant of children. Exposure is the best way to prevent fear."

If prevention doesn't work, the next best strategy is intervention—dealing with the fear. A first step is to help children develop plans for coping. Ask questions such as "What will you do if you see a snake?" Then expose the fearful child to the animal or insect. Begin by having the child look at still photographs and then progress—slowly—until the child feels ready to encounter a living creature.

"Through this entire process, keep acknowledging that this is a very real fear," DeHaan stresses.

There are a number of books and interactive materials available to help children overcome their fears of dogs, spiders, snakes, and other animals and insects. In addition, there are several high-quality books devoted to dealing with the seemingly universal fear of children: monsters.

"These books are really fun to read with kids," DeHaan says. "Whether it's animals, insects or monsters, we think children who are afraid are feeling out of control, and so whatever a parent can do to help a child feel more in control of a fearful situation is helpful."

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Source: Laura DeHaan (701) 231-8270

Editor: Dean Hulse (701) 231-6136