WTF? 10mo suddenly afraid of light fittings!

soppy · 2004-11-27T12:09:47+00:00

This morning DS kept looking up nervously at the lampshade hanging from the ceiling so I kept telling him what it was, and then when I picked him up I held him up towards it, thinking he'd want to grab it. Instead he went crazy, clinging to me and trying to get as far away from it as possible. Cried his eyes out - very alarming. Took him into the kitchen and had the same thing all over again with the pendant light in there. And then with the pans hanging from the ceiling rack! What's going on???

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MarsLady · 27/11/2004 12:27

my dts have suddenly discovered that they are completely freaked out by the hoover. They loved it completely before. They go through these phase. Maybe your ds has worked out that when the light goes out it's bedtime. Maybe it's something and nothing. Try to find a way of taking away the fear. My friend's daughter had a fear of aeroplanes. I told her to wave bye bye each time she saw one. Eventually it became a game and she lost her fear.

Original poster

soppy · 27/11/2004 13:36

It needed cleaning so DP just took it down - DS terrified, but was persuaded to touch it with the help of his favourite bear and some silly songs. He's not entirely convinced though. It hangs above his cot so we'll see what happens this naptime ... maybe he's had a nightmare about it?

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Original poster

soppy · 27/11/2004 17:53

I mean, I can kind of understand the hoover thing - scary noise and all that. But lampshades???

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joash · 27/11/2004 18:18

I can understand lampshades. If you turn them on, think about the shadows that they make on the ceiling - perhaps that's whats scaring him.

Original poster

soppy · 27/11/2004 18:20

This one doesnt cast a shadow, just a circle of light - could that be scary?? BTW I don't have it switched on all that much - it's not the last light that goes off at bedtime

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joash · 27/11/2004 18:24

Dunno then. Sounds like it's just things that are high up. Maybe he's spent time wondering what these strange looking things are (I mean strange to him - not assuming for one minute that you have 'strange' things) and just got a bit panicky when he got closer to them.
I agree with MarsLady - try to make some sort of game out of it, like the waving thing, see if that helps.

joash · 27/11/2004 18:26

Dunno then. Sounds like it's just things that are high up. Maybe he's spent time wondering what these strange looking things are (I mean strange to him - not assuming for one minute that you have 'strange' things) and just got a bit panicky when he got closer to them.
I agree with MarsLady - try to make some sort of game out of it, like the waving thing, see if that helps.

joash · 27/11/2004 18:28

Dunno then. Sounds like it's just things that are high up. Maybe he's spent time wondering what these strange looking things are (I mean strange to him - not assuming for one minute that you have 'strange' things) and just got a bit panicky when he got closer to them.
I agree with MarsLady - try to make some sort of game out of it, like the waving thing, see if that helps.

Hayls · 27/11/2004 18:30

It probably won't help, but my 10 month old dd has just discovered the ceiling lights in our house- if you ask 'where's the light' she grins and points at it. I think she's only just noticed that they're there and is amazed. I think they can often be overwhelmed when they 'discover' something new because it unsettles them to find a strange object in their surroundings. Only suggestion I can make is to try to turn them into a game somehow- if nit I'm sure he'll get used to it at some point.

Dd hasn't been scared of them yet but she has developed a sudden fear of the hoover!

HTH- probably not!

Hayls · 27/11/2004 18:30

It probably won't help, but my 10 month old dd has just discovered the ceiling lights in our house- if you ask 'where's the light' she grins and points at it. I think she's only just noticed that they're there and is amazed. I think they can often be overwhelmed when they 'discover' something new because it unsettles them to find a strange object in their surroundings. Only suggestion I can make is to try to turn them into a game somehow- if nit I'm sure he'll get used to it at some point.

Dd hasn't been scared of them yet but she has developed a sudden fear of the hoover!

HTH- probably not!

Original poster

soppy · 27/11/2004 18:38

Yes, trying the game thing - although as it's now nearly bedtime I'm hoping he'll forget about it till tomorrow!

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yurtgirl · 27/11/2004 18:45

Message withdrawn

Original poster

soppy · 28/11/2004 18:34

Curiouser and curiouser ... it's now extended to include the pictures on the walls .....

Tried removing the lampshade last night but it seems the empty light fitting (minus bulb) is just as scary ... ?!

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Original poster

soppy · 29/11/2004 10:54

?

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wobblyknicks · 29/11/2004 10:57

Is it possible that he can see his reflection in the light fitting/pictures. DD went through a phase where she was fine with her reflection in the mirror but hated it in pictures/windows - don't know why to this day though!!!

Original poster

soppy · 29/11/2004 10:59

Pictures yes, lights no. ?!!

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Original poster

soppy · 29/11/2004 12:46

Still loves mirrors ....

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Uwila · 29/11/2004 16:16

Soppy, is itpossible that your dd/ds touched a lightbulb and burned him/herself? Perhaps that's the trouble. If so, it's perhaps not an all bad fear, I mean it may keep him/her from burning his/her precious little hand. Wish my dd was that smart! But, no she had to test the meaning of hot.