DS has just turned 8. He's always been a bit of a worrier and has a very strong imagination, he is a real 'believer' in that if you picked up a stick off the floor and told him it was a wishing stick, he'd believe you!
He keeps getting so frightened, on one hand I think it's normal and he'll grow out of it, but then thinking it's disrupting his quality of life, and he seems to suffer more than any other kid I know.
Something will trigger it off. Either something he has seen in a film (only ever watches U and as carefully selected as possible PG films), a nightmare (has many of these) or even something he's heard (eg. something in a story - from a child appropriate book!). It seems to be getting more frequent.
We watched 'Hugo', a U certified film a few days ago, and there was one bit in it, lasted a few seconds, that really spooked him. Since then, he has:
been unable to stay in any room alone, meaning I have to even accompany him to the toilet
been sleeping in my bed (although normally, he will wake up every morning around 4am feeling scared, and come into my bed anyway)
worrying about if for most of the day.
At times he has managed to tell me if he is feeling less frightened, and why he thinks this is (eg. "I just remember last time I was scared of xxx nothing ever happened in the end") - albeit with a nervous voice, and we've had a cuddle while I've reassured him. But I have to be very careful about what I say otherwise it can set him off feeling very frightened and panicky again. Sometimes it can't be mentioned at all, he gets so scared.
Is this too much? Does anyone else have DC like this or that have gone through this phase?
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Behaviour/development
DS has the fear
whethergirl · 15/04/2013 22:39
DS can't watch Harry Potter either! We watched it until quite near the end, when the teacher baddie guy 
took off his turban to reveal a face at the back of his head - and that was it. He was petrified for days afterwards. It's hard to tell how long DS has been like it - he's always been easily freaked out, but think in the last 6 months it's gotten worse - or maybe i'm noticing it more as it's becoming more noticeable the older he is getting iyswim?
He stayed round my mums one night, and of all the things she made him watch, she put on Dr. Who 
. From her description, it sounds like he had an actual panic attack that evening.
That's how I feel Jenny70 - a) that it's affecting his quality of life and b) that the doctors won't do anything about it 
. I will try though.
Funny how every post has commented on their ds at either 9 or 10 years of age. Exit I also went through a phase at that age, and would climb into my dad's bed in the middle of the night.
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