Are your child's fears within the normal developmental range or do they constitute a phobia? Treatment of specific phobias and guidance for parents.
Specific phobias involve excessive and irrational fear directed toward particular objects or situations. The most commonly encountered phobias in children include fear of darkness, animals, needles, heights, and loud noises.
Distinguished from normative developmental fears, phobias significantly impair daily functioning. Avoidance behaviors are prominent, and the fear response is disproportionate to the child's developmental level.
Graduated exposure therapy represents the most efficacious intervention for specific phobias. The child is systematically guided to confront the feared stimulus in a controlled, safe therapeutic environment, and mastery experiences are facilitated to accelerate the recovery process.
Doç. Dr. Mehtap Eroğlu
Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist. Over 15 years of clinical experience.
