La child claustrophobia it is one of the many disorders a child can suffer from. ¿What to do if your child suffers from it? Enclosed or small spaces are the perfect setting for a bout of claustrophobia. There are children who begin to feel bad in these cases, they scream or cry without finding comfort.
The word itself explains well what this is about disorder: It is a phobia of being cloistered, that is, within a cloister. The feeling is of not being able to leave that place. ¿What to do if your child suffers from infantile claustrophobia? There are tools that you can call on in these cases.
What is child claustrophobia
Claustrophobia is nothing more than an irrational and rapt fear of being locked in a place without being able to leave. In the case of children, in the absence of words, they express this terror with a series of symptoms and actions. It can appear suddenly and without prior notice, although in the case of children with claustrophobia The most frequent is that the phobia appears when entering small places, such as elevators, tunnels, very small and closed environments, changing rooms in shops, public bathrooms, basements, revolving doors or cars with centralized locks.
The claustrophobia in children It occurs through screaming, crying, tantrums, panic attacks, or chills. Children become irritable and parents often do not understand what is happening at first. There are cases in which the little ones refuse to go to the bathroom to avoid entering a very small one or they prefer to use the stairs rather than go up to an elevator. In the most extreme cases, claustrophobia can limit their lives.
Claustrophobia is one of the many anxiety disorders that exist and can appear in both childhood and adolescence. The most common symptoms of childhood claustrophobia are:
- Shortness of breath and a feeling of suffocation.
- Sweating and chills.
- Dry mouth.
- Feeling dizzy, needing to vomit or even fainting.
- Acceleration of the heart rate.
- Tremors.
- Confusion and disorientation.
Origins of claustrophobia
There are many reasons why childhood claustrophobia appears, in some cases it is due to past traumatic experiences linked to the confinement or to have been trapped somewhere. In other cases, the disorder appears if children lost their parents in areas with many people, if there is a family member who suffers from claustrophobia or if the child suffered some type of abuse.
Claustrophobia appears as the trace that remains of having experienced a sense of danger linked to having been locked up or confined in a small place. A typical characteristic of claustrophobia is that the person who suffers it is not afraid of the place itself but of the confinement and the impossibility of leaving or running out of air that that place represents.
What to do if your child suffers from claustrophobia
Before a case of child claustrophobia, you must be very careful, avoiding minimizing the disorder. On the contrary, it is recommended to pay attention to the child and help him overcome fear, avoiding teasing and downplaying what happens to him.
If the child must ride an elevator or be in a small space, try to distract him by talking about other topics, and use positive words. Breathing and relaxation exercises are also very useful as they will help the little ones overcome their fears.
Games are a great activity to help your child overcome childhood claustrophobia. You can help him with games in small places, like setting up a tent or playing with cardboard boxes that the child can get into. Many of children's fears are linked to their parents' fears. If you are a fearful person, avoid making comments in front of the child.
If, despite the attempts, you notice that the child has an exaggerated fear that prevents him from leading a normal life, it is best to consult a psychologist. Behavioral therapies are often very helpful in overcoming phobias and anxiety disorders.