Whats a Phobia?
A phobia (say: fo-bee-uh) is the fancy name for a fear. But a phobia isn’t just any kind of fear. It’s normal for kids to be afraid of things — like taking a hard test at school, passing a growling dog on the street, or hearing a huge clap of thunder. A phobia is different because it is an extremely strong fear of a situation or thing. It is also a kind of fear that doesn’t go away. A kid who has a phobia will be afraid of something every time he or she sees or experiences it. She won’t just be afraid once or twice. Kids who have phobias often go out of their way to avoid the situation or thing that scares them. That’s why Marisa had to take the stairs. She has a phobia of being in closed-in spaces and was too scared to take the elevator. Sometimes, when a kid has a phobia and is forced to face what makes her scared, she may get very nervous and have a panic attack.
