health

Sometimes a normal childhood fear can become intense or last well
be yond the age when a child usually outgrows it. If this happens, or if
fears cause so much distress that they interfere with everyday life, professional
help may be needed to help get over their fears.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy is often helpful. It may involve teaching
coping skills, supporting the child’s gradual approach to the feared
situation, and coaching parents to provide needed reinforcement and
support.

Hannah’s Story

Whenever 15-year-old Hannah entered a building with more than two
stories, she checked to see if the building had stairs. Hannah was intensely
afraid of riding in elevators. Her friends teased her, and she readily admitted
that her fears were “silly.” But when an elevator door closed, Hannah
began to sweat and her heart started to beat faster. “It’s like I’m trapped,”
she told her friends. “As if I’ll never, ever escape.”