My DS1 aged 6 has a horrific fear of flies and I don't know what to do.
I'm talking like a fly comes into the room and he cannot take his eyes off it, jumps, shouts, screams , cries if it comes anywhere near him and can't calm down until I either get it with the swat or out the window/ door.
It's getting to that time of year that even going out to play is becoming really hard. I know he's getting made fun of in school for it and if a fly comes into his class that's it, all his attention is on that and he's even been under the table crying until the teacher has got it out. He was out playing in the park across from our house with some other kids and I was in the front garden....literally 20 feet away. I heard this piercing scream and it was him tearing towards me cause he'd seen a fly and he refused to go back out again. I see and hear all the other kids pointing and laughing. What makes it slightly worse and I know it shouldn't matter but he is really tall for his age (he's in age 9/10 clothes) so he already finds it hard enough to fit in as kids judge him from his height thinking he's 9 years old and then he only has the wit and savvy of a 6 year old and to be so scared of a tiny fly again just makes him more of a target for kids.
I've explained to him they can't bite, sting or harm him in anyway. Ive tried to get him to take deep breaths when he sees one but he properly freaks out. It's horrible to see.
I can't think that there's been a horrific fly traumatic event that's happened that's caused this. It's so bizarre and he's clearly very scared and distressed.
Does anyone have any advice/ ideas I could try to tackle this?!
Just for the record it's only flies the little black ones. Ladybirds not an issues, slugs, worms...even bees/ wasps no issues at all. Only flies!