Specific phobias in children

Phobias are fears of specific things or situations. These fears are quite common in children. Some common childhood phobias include fear of the dark, storms, dogs, spiders, costumed characters like clowns, heights, blood and injections.

As with other anxieties, children with specific phobias will try to avoid the situation they’re afraid of. Or they might be extremely distressed if they have to go through it. For example, if a child fears dogs and they come across a barking dog, they might get very upset.

Although these anxieties are common, it’s a good idea to seek some professional help if your child’s fear:

• is interfering with your child’s daily life
• is something you feel your child should have grown out of
• goes on for longer than 6 months.

Panic attacks in children

Panic attacks are a sudden rush of fear accompanied by physical feelings like:

• a racing heart
• breathlessness
• tightness in the throat or chest
• sweating
• light-headedness
• tingling.

Panic attacks can last for several minutes. During a panic attack, children might believe that they’re dying or that something terrible is happening to them. This experience can be very scary for children who don’t know what’s happening.

These kinds of episodes are quite rare in young children and become more common in teenagers. If your child is having panic attacks, it’s a good idea to seek professional help.

Panic disorder
Fear of or anxiety about panic attacks is known as panic disorder. The fear is of the panic attack itself rather than of the situation. This means that children are afraid of their panic symptoms, rather than of other things that cause anxiety, like people laughing at them, dogs biting them or getting lost.

Panic disorder is very uncommon in children and younger teenagers. It happens more often in older teenagers and young adults.

If children start avoiding situations because of their panic attacks, this is called panic disorder with agoraphobia. If this happens, it’s best to seek professional help.

Panic attacks or something else?
Occasionally, the physical signs of a panic attack can be caused by a health condition rather than anxiety. It’s important to see your GP if your child has any recurring physical symptoms.

Post-traumatic stress in children

Post-traumatic stress is a reaction to a traumatic event in which a child was hurt or felt extremely scared or threatened. Events that might cause these reactions include:

• natural disasters
• personal attacks
• car accidents
• physical, emotional or sexual abuse.

Children who have been affected by a traumatic event usually show anxiety for a few weeks afterwards. The anxiety then gradually disappears.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
In some cases, children suffer anxiety for many months and years after a traumatic event. This can interfere with their daily lives. This might be post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Children with PTSD might:

• keep remembering the traumatic event, have bad dreams about it, or include the trauma in their play
• suddenly act or feel as if the event is happening again and get very upset
• try hard to avoid situations that remind them of the trauma
• become emotionally distant
• be jumpy or irritable
• have sleep difficulties.

After a traumatic event, you or your child might need support. Children with PTSD usually need professional help. You can read more about supporting children after traumatic events and supporting autistic children and teenagers after traumatic events.

Professional help for children with phobias, panic attacks and post-traumatic stress

If you’re worried about your child’s behaviour or anxieties, consider seeking professional help.

You can get professional help from many sources, including:

• your child’s teacher or a school counsellor
• your child’s GP or paediatrician, who can refer you to an appropriate mental health professional
• your local children’s health centre or community health centre
• a specialist anxiety clinic (available in most states)
• your local mental health service.

There are also online programs to help children manage anxiety – for example, The BRAVE Program.

If your child is aged 5 years or older, they can talk with a counsellor at Kids Helpline by calling 1800 551 800 or using the Kids Helpline webchat counselling service.

Financial support for children with phobias, panic attacks and post-traumatic stress

Your child might be able to get Medicare rebates for up to 10 sessions with a psychologist, a social worker or an occupational therapist each calendar year.

To get these rebates, your child will need a mental health treatment plan from a GP (this covers the services your child needs and the goals of the treatment) or a referral from a psychiatrist or paediatrician.