“They shouldn’t force the child to [meet] the clown. You introduce it to them in a way that’s slow and cautious and they see that nothing bad happens.”
– Mary Danielek, Ph.D., licensed psychologist
Just like adults, kids experience a variety of phobias. But there is one particular fear that many parents may have never heard of. It’s called coulrophobia, and, for lots of kids, it’s no laughing matter.
“What’s up, big guy? How you doin’ today?” asks a clown.
For the moment, not so well. Grayson, who is 3 years old, shakes his head “no” at the clown and looks scared.
Grayson has “coulrophobia” -- a fear of clowns.
“I’m just scared of them because they have make-up on them,” says Grayson.
“And I said, ‘Well, I wear make up, what’s so scary?’ He said, ‘Well ‘cause their make-up’s very colorful.’
I don’t know…I guess, somehow they’re different and they’re not in his everyday life experience,” says Laura Nix, Grayson’s mother.
The University of Sheffield in England surveyed 250 children, and none -- not a single child -- liked clowns. Experts say some kids may be afraid because of something that happened years before.
“Specific phobias that happen like that usually occur after one traumatic event. You can see the little girl next to you at the circus freak-out because of the clown. There’s one event, and after that the child says, ‘I’m afraid of clowns,’” says Mary Danielek, Ph.D., licensed psychologist.
She says parents shouldn’t dismiss that fear. Some children are really afraid.
“They shouldn’t force the child to [meet] the clown. You introduce it to them in a way that’s slow and cautious and they see that nothing bad happens,” says Danielek.
“I know, too, that when he’s afraid of something, if you can kind of introduce him to it in a non-threatening way, that helps,” says Nix.
Patience and understanding can help as well. Psychologists say that in most cases, coulrophobia goes away as toddlers refine their language skills and understand that clowns are harmless. However, in some cases, the phobia can last into adulthood.
Tips for Parents
Anxiety is defined as "apprehension without apparent cause." It usually occurs when there's no immediate threat to a person's safety or well-being, but the threat feels real. Anxiety makes a person want to escape the situation -- fast. (Nemours Foundation)
The heart beats quickly, the body might begin to perspire and "butterflies" in the stomach soon follow. However, a little bit of anxiety can actually help people stay alert and focused. (Nemours Foundation)
Typical childhood fears change with age. They include fear of strangers, heights, darkness, animals, blood, insects, and being left alone. Children often learn to fear a specific object or situation after having an unpleasant experience, such as a dog bite or an accident. (Nemours Foundation)
Recognize that the fear is real. As trivial as a fear may seem, it feels real to your child and it's causing him or her to feel anxious and afraid. Being able to talk about fears helps -- words often take some of the power out of the negative feeling. If you talk about it, it can become less powerful. (Nemours Foundation)
Never belittle the fear as a way of forcing your child to overcome it. Telling your child, "Don't be ridiculous! There are no monsters in your closet!" may get your child to go to bed, but it won't make the fear go away. (Nemours Foundation)
Don't cater to fears, either. If your child doesn't like dogs, don't cross the street deliberately to avoid one. This will just reinforce that dogs should be feared and avoided. Provide support and gentle care as you approach the feared object or situation with your child. (Nemours Foundation)
References
Nemours Foundation
