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natapoose
Emu Egg
Joined: Apr 09, 2008
Posts: 5
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 Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 2:33 pm Post subject: Anxiety/fear...please help |
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My son is 3, he has been diagnosed with Asperger's. It seems some of his behaviors are cyclic in nature. I need help with a certain fear of his. He has a major phobia related to bugs. I asked our pediatrician, and she said honestly she did not know what to say, but would let me know. He woke up screaming Saturday night at 0300 that there were 'bugs in his bed' and 'they are going to sting me.' This went on for nearly 3 hours. He's almost believable. This is not a behavioral issue...he is clearly terrified. Any piece of fuzz or 'crumb' he sees in bed is a bug. Same thing at nap and again at bed time last night. We have light in the room, he has a magnifier he holds, I found a bottle with a bug on it, put water in it and called it bug spray. Together, we sprayed anywhere bugs might come. Nothing has helped. At bathtime, there were 3 tiny pieces of red fuzz in the water from a bath mitt, he jumped up shaking and crying that they were bugs. He calmed quickly when I showed him where they came from.
He has woken up in the night many times about bugs in his bed, but with reassurance and a quick 'inspection' he will go back to sleep, at least for a while.
Any advice, input, common experiences, this exhausted mommy would truly appreciate!! |
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DevonB
Sea Gull
Joined: Mar 14, 2008
Age: 40
Posts: 248
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| Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 3:07 pm Post subject: |
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Phobias are often treated by repeated exposure to the culprit.
I wouldn't suggest getting a real bug...but a toy ant, or beatle, or anything...and telling him about bugs and educating him on how helpful they are.
My sons (AS and NT) have had various phobias at times. I make everything sound fun and helpful, and non-threatening. I remember about a bug incident and I made the little one feel all powerful by pointing out how big he was, and how much he probably scared the bug. I bought bug books, and plastic bugs and made fun of them, and named them.
My son actually will collect bugs now.
Do it slowly, and give them the power by telling him that his favourite toy is a bug repellant, and if he sleeps with him, no bugs will dare come near him. Even use pretend magic...or make him the bug king.
It is so difficult...you're doing the best you can, and it sounds like you are doing it all the right way. |
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krex
Phoenix
Joined: Jun 21, 2006
Age: 44
Posts: 4973
Location: Village of the Damned
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| Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 3:09 pm Post subject: |
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Have you tried buying books of bugs that are friendly...like "An Ants Life ?" I had the opposite feeling about bugs when I was a kid, I was fascinated and loved them. I would "save" them from drowning. They were like animals to me that could be my friends. Maybe even science books that show pictures and give information about them ? (though, I admit that bugs look pretty scary close up), so this might be counter productive ?
Has he been biten by bugs or seen you respond to bugs in fear ? I'm not sure if this is AS or psychological and could be treated as a psychological phobia....by "de-monsterizing" them . I think there are probably some good books on phobias, but if you decide to go the desensitizing route...go slow.
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malithion2
Sea Gull
Joined: Jun 16, 2008
Age: 21
Posts: 207
Location: Albuquerque, NM
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| Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 5:55 pm Post subject: |
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| Education on insects and how important they are to us could help, for example without bees we wouldn't have honey, silk worms and clothing ect. I'm just assuming though. |
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aurea
Deinonychus
Joined: Sep 22, 2007
Posts: 381
Location: melb,Australia
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| Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 6:29 pm Post subject: |
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Hi, I don't know if this will help but, my 9yr old son used to wake up screaming about zombies and vampires etc. There were times when he wouldn't even let me comfort him because he didn't believe I was really who I said I was. He was terrified to go to bed, incase they came back, he didnt like to be hugged and have his neck exposed etc. This fear took over for a while.
I tried lots of different things, what I think eventually worked was to plant stratergies in his head before he went to bed on how to kill these things or fight them off. So that sub consciencely (cant spell sorry) he then had the tools to defend himself at his most vulnrablest.
Try giving your son diferent endings to his dreams, eg tell him stories before bed where he is the super hero bug exterminator. It may take a while for it all to be firmly implanted in his mind and for him to be able to retrieve that info when he needs it, but it should help.
Good luck, hope this helps. |
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FatherOfTwo
Butterfly
Joined: Jul 02, 2008
Posts: 12
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| Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 7:32 pm Post subject: |
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I second trying to get him books on bugs, so that he can learn as much about bugs as possible and how bugs can be good and helpful and how most bugs don't or even cant hurt people. If he can get really interested in bugs and learn a lot about them, his fear may turn into curiosity.
My aspergers son was terrified of car crashes until my wife taught him about safety, and now he is OBSESSED with safety learing safety rules (LOVES RULES), he spends hours in the cars inspecting the seat belts and child seats and the car manual and i think it really relaxes him to spend so much time learning and obsessing about how to be safe. He still totally flips if someone forgets to put on their seat belt. and told my friend that if he didnt put on his seat belt that he would crash his head through the windshield and die. the great thing about aspergers is he said totally matter of factly like it is a normal thing to say to someone.
Good luck! |
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Triangular_Trees
What is right is sometimes found on the left.
Joined: Jul 18, 2007
Posts: 2013
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| Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 10:13 pm Post subject: |
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What about seeing if he can handle watching movies where bugs star - ie A bug's life.
Also research bugs that are beneficial to humans and tell him how those bugs help people |
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flowergal
Yellow-bellied Woodpecker
Joined: Jun 13, 2008
Age: 37
Posts: 58
Location: Peaceful Countryside, USA
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| Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 7:12 am Post subject: |
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My 9yr old dtr has a moth/bee/wasp phobia. We even tried hatching a moth from a coccoon. We have watched them on TV, read books...I have explained how they don't bite, don't hurt, on and on.... we are still dealing with it. I think her phobia has to do with flying bugs because she will pick up worms, ants, caterpillars (bugs that don't fly). Last month we had a lot of June bugs here (big fat flying nighttime beetle-bugs, they are ugly!) She would literally freak and flap her hands if one was even near her. It sounds like you are on the right path. We are awaiting an AS eval. My son's therapist says she can help her, but wants her evaluated first. So that is where we are at. Since your son is 3, I would definitely make him "King of the Bugs," or something like that. When I was little and having chronic nightmares about graveyards, my dad would put an imaginary shield over my bed so that I was safe....I believed him, because I trusted my dad and it worked. Sounds like you are on the right path with your ideas. Hang in there!
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