USA : Wednesday, 9 February 2011 (Local Time)
Although she's lived with the family dog since birth, Amy Shaffer's 8-year-old daughter, McKaylee, has always been afraid of dogs and Shaffer has no idea why.
“I don't recall a bad experience that set the fear in place, and she's skittish around all animals,” says Shaffer, of Asheville. “As a toddler, she would literally climb up to my shoulders near any dog and she still asks to be picked up or I have to stand in between her and a dog.”
Meanwhile, McKaylee's sister, Melody, 10, has never been fearful of animals, she says.
Why are some kids nervous around animals while others are comfortable? It could be a traumatic event involving an animal or it could simply be that kids are wired differently right from the start, with some biologically more fearful than others, says clinical psychologist Kay Loveland, Ph.D., who specializes in animal-assisted psychotherapy.
Loveland, who uses specially trained therapy dogs to help some of her patients, says that dogs are the most typical animal kids fear, mostly because there are more chances to interact with them than with other animals. But she's also worked with kids who fear animals like mice, spiders or horses.
So, how do you help kids cope with animal fears? Read on for a few suggestions.
Start with a story
Read books, tell stories and watch videos about the animal your child fears, suggests Loveland.
To address dog fears, begin with stories about “cute little dogs or hero dogs.”
Talk about fears
“Say, ‘let's talk about it' and find out exactly what they're afraid of,” Loveland says.
When the Shaffers first got new kittens, McKaylee was afraid of being scratched by their claws.
Research together
The more you know about an animal, the less scary it may seem.
If a child is afraid of bees, for example, it helps to learn about where they live, how to avoid them and what to do if stung, Loveland says.
Teach skills
Teach kids the appropriate way to approach and greet a dog and how to handle an aggressive dog, says Loveland. Learn what not to do, like staring into a dog's eyes.
Story from : www.citizen-times.com (reported by Pam J.Hecht)
Foto from : www.hubpages.cp
