Irrational Fears/Anxiety in a 5 year old

I am hoping someone has gone through this before and can give me some advice...
My Ds (who just turned 5) has recently developed some intense fears..(they seemed to have developed overnight....out of the blue)
He is petrified of floods, will get upset when his bath is running....he thinks it will overflow. He doesn't like when the sink is running either. He also is petrified of his little brother getting hurt. He gets so upset when the baby is near any of the electrical outlets (eventhough we have the safety covers on them) He keeps asking me about God and what happens when we die. When I ask him specifically what he is afraid of, he says 'that someone is going to get hurt and die'. I have NO IDEA why this just came about. We haven't had any death in the family lately, we don't really talk about that kind of stuff. The only thing I can think of is that maybe he caught some of the news that we watch at night. I don't know how to help him. Is this normal or should I bring it up to his pediatrician? I feel horrible for him.

Re: Irrational Fears/Anxiety in a 5 year old

I went through something similar in first grade. I was afraid my mom would die, or I would be abducted. It was so bad I held onto my mom and screamed everyday for months going to school, I wouldn't stay home with anyone, I cried going to sleep at night and.insisted on sleeping in my parents room. Finally my mom took me to the pediatrician who sent me to a child therapist who was able to bring it out that my friends older brother hs locked me in a closet and told me i'd never see my mom again. I guess I had blocked it out but I went to the therapist for a few months and eventually just got over it. I think kids can see or hear something and turn into irrational fears and your ds might not be able to communicate what it is. Maybe if he talks to someone they can help him uncover what is bothering him.

Re: Irrational Fears/Anxiety in a 5 year old

Thank you for this! I am glad you were able to uncover what was bothering you. I had severe seperation anxiety when I was in 1st grade but my Dad had died suddenly when I was in kindergarten so I always attributed it to that. It is funny how the mind of a child works.

Re: Irrational Fears/Anxiety in a 5 year old

That's so sad. I would definitely call a therapist, especially since these fears came out of nowhere. The two things that this makes me think are either:

A-someone told him this for some asinine reason

B-He has some sort of "feeling" about these things

GL

Re: Irrational Fears/Anxiety in a 5 year old

Maybe the floods in Japan?

Re: Irrational Fears/Anxiety in a 5 year old

Posted by FreeButterfly

Maybe the floods in Japan?