Baby Fears & Tips On How To Help Them

From the time babies are born, their senses will pick up information which may make them start to develop fears, such as loud and sudden noises. These fears will change as they grow older and their life experiences grow. This blog will focus on common baby fears during the first year of their lives. 

Most common baby fears  

In newborn babies, the most common baby fears are loud noises, separation from parents, the feeling of falling and unfamiliar people or strangers.  

Loud noises trigger the startle reflex. You might also notice the falling reflex — also known as the Moro reflex, when you lower your baby suddenly. It starts from the day they are born and ends around 5-6 months. Your baby reacts this way because they feel like they have no support and believe they are falling. You can identify the startle reflex when you see the baby stretching their arms and legs rapidly before returning to their normal position.  

Towards the end of the first year, babies usually begin to appreciate the concept of object permanence. They can now understand that even if an object is not in their direct line of sight, it still exists. Babies can walk with an object in one hand, throw objects, say simple words like mum and dad, and point or follow one-step commands with gestures. 

When you leave a room, they will still be thinking about you and will wonder if you will ever come back, increasing the fear of being abandoned (separation anxiety).  At the age of 1 year, mom walking away may cause anxiety. If you leave your baby with a family member which they are less familiar with, they may become anxious and be cautious with them until you return. 

What to do if your baby has fears  

Baby fears are normal and giving a helping hand to your baby so that he or she can overcome them is advisable. There are many ways you can ease your baby’s fears. 

First of all, you must recognize and accept your baby’s fears. By accepting them, you can then begin to sympathize with them. For example, a dog barking may not be scary to you, but it scares your baby. it is important to remember your baby does not have the past experiences you have and this may be their first interaction with such a sound. Hold your baby close and soothe them with calm words. However, take care not to overdo the comforting aspect, in case you reinforce the belief that loud noises are really something to fear about. 

To ease the separation anxiety your baby feels, play games that involve you leaving for small amounts of time before returning. Peek-a-boo is a great place to start. After that, you can leave the room for a minute and come back. Keep increasing the length of the time you leave. By the time you want to leave for real, your baby will be used to the idea that when you leave, you’ll eventually come back easing the fear of separation. 

How can you help your baby deal with fears?  

Before they reach one year of age, babies fear things that might seem insignificant to you. It is important to be there for them to ensure these fears are just a short-term thing and does not develop into a lifetime fear.  

Do not laugh at your baby’s fears. This may seem obvious as you read this but sometimes, from our past experiences, we know something isn’t dangerous, such as the sound of a microwave when it gets started, but they may fear that sudden noise and we may find it funny that they got scared by such a “normal sound”. However, remember this is not normal for them, they have never experienced this before. 

Also, do not force your baby to face their fears at such a young age. Let’s take a dog barking at an example. We may know a particular dog, and trust them, but your baby may be scared of the loud barking sound. It does not help your baby to force them to touch the dog to ease their fear when they are being fearful, for example if they are crying because of the dog. Dogs are curious and so may come up to the baby to check them out. This will increase the fear even more now and what was a short-term fear can be now cemented deeply into your baby’s mind causing your baby to have this fear for a longer period of time. 

Let your baby discover on his or her own that the sounds are harmless. This way, they will be more open to accepting other sounds and noises as part of the normal environment. 

When to seek help  

Children fears change as they grow older. Baby fears dissipate and new ones emerge as the become older.  

However, sometimes your baby will continue to fear something that they should have outgrown. When these types of fears persist, they can turn into childhood phobias — persistent, irrational fears that wreak havoc on the mental well-being of the child in the future. 

So, when should you seek help from the pediatrician?  

• If the fears seem extreme or are still prominent past the normal age and interfere with daily functioning and interpersonal relationships 
• If the fear causes your baby to be extremely distressed and very upset 

• If the fear is so extreme that it manifests into physical symptoms and signs like tummy aches, vomiting, and a rapid heart rate 
• If the fear prevents your baby from falling asleep

These kinds of scenarios will also cause you to worry about the well-being of your baby, potentially leading to depression if not checked. This can then lead to other health consequences on your part.  

References   

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/ConditionsAndTreatments/fear-and-anxiety-children#lp-h-1 
 
https://www.healthline.com/health/parenting/startle-reflex-in-babies 
 
https://www.physicianscenter.org/parents/parenting-resources/articles/fears-and-phobias-infants-and-toddlers/ 
 
https://www.parents.com/baby/development/intellectual/what-kids-are-scared-of-and-why/ 

Disclaimer: All content, including medical opinion and any other health-related information, is for informational purposes only and should not be considered to be a specific diagnosis or treatment plan for any individual situation. The information contained herein does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Always seek the direct advice of your own doctor in connection with any questions or issues you may have regarding your own health or the health of others