bug phobia

[carrie-ann77]

my 3 1/2 year old daughter has developed a phobia of any type of bug over the last few weeks. I have tried showing her they wont hurt her and that they are probably more scared of her but she gets hysterical. It's starting to spoil her and my summer. Any idears?

[Count-A-Strong]

Take her to a zoo which has an insect house and try to tell her about them. If she can het up close with glass between her and them she might calm down also if there are large ones she might not be as scared of the small ones.

You could try naming them. Somthing like Lucy Ladybird or Greeny Grasshopper to make them sound friendly then when houses one you can say 'oh look there's Lucy Ladybird.

[bigfoot3000]

Great ideas count!

[Count-A-Strong]

Cheers Bigfoot.

[momcj]

she has probably heard somebody else freaking out over one- maybe try some books, dvds on insects too.

[sophie_1003]

If she really can't stand to be near bugs, even in an insect house (and I know how she feels, am the same with spiders!) I saw a great idea on TV years ago where a girl was being treated for arachnophobia (sp?) First they showed her a cartoon of a spider that really looked nothing like a real spider and asked her to touch the screen, they then progressed through more cartoons that became more and more realistic, continuing with touching the screen, then they went on to photos and finally videos before she went to an insect house and was eventually able to be in the same room as a 'loose' spider, maybe a scaled down version of this would help?