Fear is one of the basic emotions, along with joy, sadness, shame, anger and love. It appears very early and has a strong motivational force. Fear is an emotion that triggers defensive behaviour in children, just as it does in adults. It can be caused by external factors, such as difficult life circumstances like war and displacement, or by internal ones, when we think about something that frightens us. Regardless of the source of our fear, once we feel it, our entire body is activated to defend itself and protect us.
Developmental fears
In normal life circumstances, fears are a natural part of every child's life and appear and disappear as the child develops and moves from one developmental phase to another. These are so-called developmental fears, which are characteristic of a certain age. Separation anxiety is a fear that appears early in childhood and is most prominent up to around the second year of life, and it is expressed through crying when the child is separated from familiar people. This fear is accompanied by a fear of strangers and is linked to the caution a child feels towards people they do not know. At the age of three or four, the child can already speak and absorbs content through picture books, animated films, and also via the internet. At this time, fear of imaginary characters may arise, as well as fear of real-life events such as accidents, physical injuries, the dark, or illness.
These developmental fears require parental attention, understanding, patience, and acceptance of the child’s fears, and generally do not require professional help.
Signs of fear in a child
In younger children, fear is easy to spot because the child resists, cries, and shows discontent. In slightly older children, of preschool age or early primary school, fear is shown through tension, worry and withdrawal. A child may also show fear through physical reactions such as stomach-ache, headache, heart palpitations, sweating, or tics.
However, some children will not show obvious signs of fear – this does not mean they are not afraid. That is why it is good to talk openly with the child and not to hide your own emotions.
If you notice that a child is afraid, try to discover the source of the fear by encouraging a conversation about it.
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