crying or whimpering when introduced to unfamiliar people. Nightmares Nightmares "represent the fulfillment of forbidden, repressed, or rejected wishes." Dreams may consist of aggressive monsters, sexual stirrings, or something unexpected. Cause Though some fears are inborn, the majority are learned. Phobias develop through negative experiences and through observation. One way children begin to develop fears is by witnessing or hearing about dangers. Ollendick proposes while some phobias may originate from a single traumatizing experience, others may be caused by simpler, or less dramatic, origins such as observing another child's phobic reaction or through the exposure to media that introduces phobias. In a study reported by Child and Adolescent Mental Health, parents filled out a questionnaire regarding common origins of phobias. In this study of 50 hydrophobic children around the mean age of 5½ the results were as follows: 2% of parents linked their child's phobia to a [direct conditioning episode] 26% of parents linked their child's phobia to a [vicarious conditioning episodes] 56% of parents linked their child's phobia to their child's very first contact with water 16% of parents could not directly link their child's phobia In addition to asking about the origins of a child's fear, the questionnaire asked if parents believed that "information associated with adverse consequences was the most influential factor in the development of their child"s phobia." The results were: 0% of parents thought it was the most influential factor 14% of parents thought it was somewhat influential 86% of parents thought it had little to no influence Treatment Phobias are irrational; they cannot be reasoned away. In the case of most phobias, a qualified councilor or trained psychologist is needed to help a child overcome his or her phobia. There are, however, a few things that may help a child overcome his or her fears. Parents or guardians should be supportive and encouraging to help their children overcome fears. Children should not be pushed to face their fears prematurely. Epidemiology According to Child and Adolescent Mental Health, approximately 5% of children suffer from specific phobias and 15% seek treatment for anxiety-related problems. In recent years the number of children with clinically diagnosed phobias has gradually increased. Researchers are finding that the majority of these diagnoses come anxiety related phobias or social phobias References Phobias