Ask:
I need some serious help. My dd, who is 4, had a bad nightmare last week about spiders.
Now she sees them everywhere and becomes irrational if she thinks she sees one. Screams, climbs up to high places etc. She breaks out into a sweat with her histrionics. Last night, I had her sleep with me but I certainly don't want to make that a habit.
We have gotten rid of every spider in the house but she still has trouble falling asleep. It's hot here and our patience is wearing thin. I am about ready to call the pediatrician.
Has anybody had something similar happen? If so, what did you do?
Any advice will be welcomed.
Answer:
my dd used to be terrified of spiders as well, now she is just a little scared, i told her all the good things that spiders do for us, and while they may be creepy looking they catch pesky bugs for us and eat them and help to keep the house bug free. that seemed to work, also i found out that a kid at school told her something scary about spiders, and that some of them can kill you. well thats not true in canada, we don't have any deadly spiders unless they are imported and kept as a pet or ina zoo. find out what is the cause of her fear if someone told her something scary about them. when did this fear start? did it just pop up after she had the nightmare? maybe another child told her something terrifying about spiders. there will be a root to the problem you just have to find out what the root is.
Answer:
Poor baby, being afraid is no fun, we do however have some Nasty spiders here, one is the brown recluse, its a little spider but its bite destroys tissue and has caused many to loose legs and arms..
My son was afraid of a "YO YOS" Took us months to figure out what it was??? Turns out it was a tree brance at night, looked like a GHOST, being little he said YO YOS...
Well we got him a hampster, and told him it was his Yo YOS buster... It worked!
Answer:
can't help--i myself am terrified of spiders...but i agree with trying to find out why she's afraid--some spiders don't bother me--it's the ones with long pointy legs and shiny bodies. any the size of a quarter or bigger. any hanging in a web over me. any a color other than grey or brown...i'm making myself sick...
Answer:
My soon-to-be 4 yo just got over a terrible fear of bees. It started when her petrifeid, overexaggerating grandmother (mil) whisked her away from bees outside, telling her how bad they are and how they can really hurt you, etc. Anyway, dd wouldn't go to sleep one night, finally did at 11:30 after laying out on the couch while I was looking online for sollutions. Woke up at 2 and didn't go back to sleep unitl the sun came up around 5:30-out of pure exhaustion!!
Anyway, I DID call the ped. and he said to try a "bee spray", ie spray bottle of water, room deodorizer, we happened to have a water based linen and room spray that worked wonders. I would have her spray it after I did, saying, "Bees be gone!!" over and over (just a little chant she came up with-make up your own!!). I did a thorough check of her room with her, and eventually after a few nights of ####, it's all gone!
You just have to be persistent. I know, it's a valid fear and you feel terrible down-playing that, but they also know how to push your buttons. Don't get in the habit of letting her sleep with you...it'll be soooo hard to break! (another day on that subject!!) Good luck!