Scared of bugs

[jodib123]

Over the past couple of days, my 27 month old has been very scared about bugs. He screams when a fly lands on him, he won't lay down in his bed because there are bugs in his bed, and he wakes up in the middle of the night screaming that there are bugs on him. What do I do????

[spudqueen]

This sometimes happens when they've seen someone else react this way.  When you next see a bug pick it up and say something like 'Oh what a lovely bug, shall we go and put it outside then it can go home to it's Mummy?'.  Hopefully they will take you lead see that there's nothing to be frightened.

[Mistopheles]

How about getting a brightly coloured bug toy, and telling him it'll protect him from the bugs? Might at least get him to bed.

[catra1]

what about having a low voltage night light so he can see around him to reassure himself then over time you can gently wean him off. My mother had this phobia about moths when she was little because she'd been locked in a cupboard with a moth by mistake and said the worst thing was not being able to see it but then she would suddenly feel it on her...our imaginations play funny tricks on us if we think that thers are bugs in our beds- you can almost feel them but if you have a light you can keep checking till you get so exhausted with it all you fall asleep.

Catra

[Adi's mom]

My son is 22 months old. Soon after summers started, one could spot houseflies, in the house, and he suddenlt got soooo scared. I used to very calmly tell him that it was just a small little insect and could do nothing, or laugh at the fly, or just shoo the fly away. but alwys reassured adi, that he would be fine and nothing happened.

Your son is at a tender age, so give him confidence that bugs are small, and cant do anything, they dont come out in liget(put a night light) etc etc

[Philtaz]

As well as all the above try finding a less harmful and attractive looking bug like a ladybird and let him watch it walk on your hands etc so he can become accustomed to seeing that they are harmless, then just progress from there.

[Otrere]

I agree with SpudQueen. If you teach him that bugs are harmless, if you hold them and look at them and help him learn about them, they'll appear less scary if he understands about them. Maybe even get him a book or two that explains about bugs - The Hungry Caterpillar was always a favourite of mine when I was a kid and its still available now!!

I show my little girl (31 mths) spiders and we sing "Incey Wincey Spider" and chat about whether or not this one will climb up the water spout etc. when we see one and so they don't bother her at all.

Hope this helps.