oxgirl Report post Posted July 11, 2006 Hi all, Anyone else have problems with phobias? My J (12/AS) has always suffered with various different phobias, but at the mo his reaction to dogs and our nearby level crossing is getting a bit much. Whenever he sees a dog now he freezes up and crouches over with his arms over his head and shuts his eyes The same with the level crossing, he clasps onto me and shuts his eyes and I have to guide him over it while he gibbers like a monkey, it's getting beyond a joke! Any advice anyone? It's difficult enough to get the kid to leave the house. We're still making a point of going out and crossing the level crossing but we're wondering when will it end! Cheers. ~ Mel ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Paula Report post Posted July 11, 2006 My son whoes 12 now has had many phobias over the years some lasted days others months even years.Unfortuanlty as quick as one vanished hed replace it with another............ My son has a phobia of toilet paper its a nightmare. In the past he hated noises and traffic and would scream blue murder.Like you id to just keep trying and gradually although it took years he learnt to cope and adjust.He also hated stepping from gravel to grass or tarmac to gravel virtualy any surface change and hed freak.That went on for years too and all his phobias had very very complicated rituals surrounding them.I thought it would never end. Please take comfort in the fact that as my son maybe others too have got older they can adjust and find ways of copeing.Plus my son who is very verbal can now explaine what it is he hates about something youd be surprised what they come out with. What i mean is he might not be scared of the whole level crossing but it might be ssay the barrier,or the lights maybe the track,or sounds.............. Same with the dogs,could be the teeth,colour noise something tiny about these things that he sees but we dont coz we just think oh there scared of the crossing or the dog. Hope ive helped probably aint ive just rambled on. Take care Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oxgirl Report post Posted July 11, 2006 My son whoes 12 now has had many phobias over the years some lasted days others months even years.Unfortuanlty as quick as one vanished hed replace it with another............ My son has a phobia of toilet paper its a nightmare. In the past he hated noises and traffic and would scream blue murder.Like you id to just keep trying and gradually although it took years he learnt to cope and adjust.He also hated stepping from gravel to grass or tarmac to gravel virtualy any surface change and hed freak.That went on for years too and all his phobias had very very complicated rituals surrounding them.I thought it would never end. Please take comfort in the fact that as my son maybe others too have got older they can adjust and find ways of copeing.Plus my son who is very verbal can now explaine what it is he hates about something youd be surprised what they come out with. What i mean is he might not be scared of the whole level crossing but it might be ssay the barrier,or the lights maybe the track,or sounds.............. Same with the dogs,could be the teeth,colour noise something tiny about these things that he sees but we dont coz we just think oh there scared of the crossing or the dog. Hope ive helped probably aint ive just rambled on. Take care Thanks for that Paula. Yes, they're funny aren't they, my son sounds similar to yours. He used to be terrified of bins, he'd go mental if we tried to put anything in a bin, even if he was in another room if he heard the lid of the bin go he'd come running in freaking out about it. We had piles and piles of yogurt pots that we couldn't throw away in his presence, it was weird!! Like you say, once he's got over one he soon replaces it with something new. Aw well, we'll just have to ride out this storm I think! Cheers. ~ Mel ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
justamom Report post Posted July 11, 2006 My son has a phobia of nail files, he goes nuts if he sees one we have to hide them away so not to set him off Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bid Report post Posted July 11, 2006 With my son, when he was little his phobias were a sort of barometer of his anxiety levels...so they appeared/worsened when he was feeling very stressy. Now that he is nearly 17 (next week! ), his phobias have almost completely disappeared. Hang in there <'> Bid Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flora Report post Posted July 11, 2006 Luke has many phobias... they come and go.. but the most consistent one that has never gone away is the toilet flushing... he has the door open ready, pulls the chain and then makes a run for it with his hands over his ears! I guess these sort of phobias are to be expected with ASD... but I discovered my 13 yo NT (??) daughter does exactly the same thing She also turns all her ornaments and teddies etc facing away from her when she's in bed because she thinks they are all looking at her. She has a phobia about things being asymetrical and that one is becoming quite a problem (do you think I should get her assessed... go for a hatrick?? ) Luke is terrified of going to the doctors, he has panic attacks in the waiting room. He is terrified of automatic doors in shops or on trains. We are not allowed to have any sort of hospital programme on the tv as they scare him. He's now terrified of getting measles! He was watching the news and there was a bit on about a measles epidemic and the MMR and he asked me if he'd had it. I told him that he had the first one but hadn't had the booster and he is now in a quandry about whether to have the vaccine (I told him he could if he really wanted) but he has a phobia about needles (who doesn't?) or whether to risk getting measles which scares him just as much. He also has a phobia about luminous coloured clothes. Someone bought him a pair of pj's for his b'day and they had this bright green and yellow motiff on the front and he won't wear them! He has a phobia about lifts and locking the door in a public loo. I won't go on, because the list is pretty long. I have no idea how to deal with these phobias apart from reassure him. I'm not in a very good position to give advice either because I have a few phobias myself Phobias are no laughing matter though. If they are stopping your child from doing normal day to day things then it would be a good idea to seek advice. Lauren Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lisa35 Report post Posted July 11, 2006 Joe wont let me take a crisp out of his bag, or drink from a bottle hes drunk from?? says unhygenic!!! Lisa Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lisa35 Report post Posted July 11, 2006 Joe wont let me take a crisp out of his bag, or drink from a bottle hes drunk from?? says unhygenic!!! Oh, and about people being sick!! Lisa Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Paula Report post Posted July 12, 2006 My son has a thing about stuff melting on his hands He also bangs on about hygene yet hates getting washed so i dont know how that works I guess well never understand it we just have to help them cope. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oracle Report post Posted July 12, 2006 Matthew's phobia is Street Cleaning Machines. The little ones that roam around the City Centre and 'follow him' everywhere that we go. Because of this he will no longer leave the enclosed shopping centre. I have tried but when I realised that the sweat was pouring out of him just because he had heard one and not even seen it I stopped trying. I will wait and then try again. In the past we have found ways to confront his phobia, like making friends with spiders and moths, which has been a BIG issue for me to confront. There is something not quite right about letting a spider walk all over you!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oracle Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
barefoot wend Report post Posted July 12, 2006 I have four children - only one of whom is officially dx. My worst one for phobias is my youngest who obviously has ADHD and some AS traits. He is a gibbering wreck when it rains, when the tide is up, on ferries (he always leaps up shouting very loudly, 'We're all going to die!' when we go to the Isle of Wight and the sea is like a mill pond and the sun is shining), when his hair sticks up, when his clothes aren't straight, when his toys are not lined up, when he worries about the gerbils, helicopters, fireworks,......I could go on. They all have some phobias but his are by far the most numerous and debilitating. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
