Daisydot Report post Posted July 25, 2006 My ASD/Dyspraxic/SAL impared son is absolutely terrified of dogs. We have no idea where this has come from, but we are getting to the stage where we cannot go out to the park in case there is a dog in the area. We went to legoland the other day and someone was walking their dog and giving it a drink right at the other side of the huge car park. My son was terrified. He is ok with cats (we have four). He is quite happy playing the dog game on the Nintendo, or playing with stuffed dogs, its just real ones hes terrified of. He says he doesnt like them licking him. Not that hes ever really been licked with a dog. He has never had a bad experience with a dog. He started having phobias about bees, lorries and other things a while ago, which happened at the same time he was very stressed about school. These fears seem to have calmed down now, but the dog one is getting worse. Does anyone have any suggestions about where I could go to get help for him about this ? Or what causes these fears. Thanks for any advice Daisydot Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jb1964 Report post Posted July 25, 2006 (edited) Hi DD, My daughter was petrified of dogs to the point of screaming if she saw one out (same thing with blood and hospitals/vets on tv) - nearly once got run over when she was about 8 - by running straight into traffic to get away from one - neither phobia's were particularly started by something that I could ever think of. She is still very frightened of other dogs (she's 13 now) - we bought a puppy (cocker-spaniel) last year to try and conquer this - she actually wanted a dog and had pestered us for a few years (even though she was frightened of them). She is still a little nervous of our dog now and is still nervous when out but she does try to overcome it. Can't offer any other advice sorry. Take care, Jb Edited July 25, 2006 by jb1964 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oxgirl Report post Posted July 25, 2006 My ASD/Dyspraxic/SAL impared son is absolutely terrified of dogs. We have no idea where this has come from, but we are getting to the stage where we cannot go out to the park in case there is a dog in the area. We went to legoland the other day and someone was walking their dog and giving it a drink right at the other side of the huge car park. My son was terrified. He is ok with cats (we have four). He is quite happy playing the dog game on the Nintendo, or playing with stuffed dogs, its just real ones hes terrified of. He says he doesnt like them licking him. Not that hes ever really been licked with a dog. He has never had a bad experience with a dog. He started having phobias about bees, lorries and other things a while ago, which happened at the same time he was very stressed about school. These fears seem to have calmed down now, but the dog one is getting worse. Does anyone have any suggestions about where I could go to get help for him about this ? Or what causes these fears. Thanks for any advice Daisydot Hi, yes my son (12\AS) is terrified of dogs, it's really hard to get him out of the house now as his fear is escalating so much he doesn't want to go out. If we're out and he sees one, he freezes and crouches down with his arms over his head and his eyes squeezed shut and whimpers until it's gone, it's getting beyond a joke. Like you, I don't know where this has come from. He's always suffered from different phobias over the years, some go in time but they are always replaced by others! All we can do is reassure I guess, I don't know what else to do either! Good luck. <'> ~ Mel ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
marshmallow Report post Posted July 25, 2006 Yep, DS is terrified of dogs, cats, insects, birds, showers, toilets, air conditioning units, hand/hair driers.............Don't know why but with 2 other young children it keeps us virtually prisoners in our own house when DH is working as I cannot cope with him going mad when out and about and the other 2, not enough hands!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheNeil Report post Posted July 25, 2006 Never mind kids and dogs, I'm terrified of moths and have to get Mrs TheNeil to 'remove' them (I'd prefer'squash' but she seems to have some sort of karma/re-incarnation attitude to killing insects) Can't offer any advice though Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lorryw Report post Posted July 25, 2006 My son suddenly became terrified of dogs when my sisters new dog barked at him. The daft thing was that we had a dog of our own (who sadly died a few months ago) who could bark for England. He was totally fine with her and even forgave her when she snapped and bit his nose when he fell on her while she was asleep and unwell. This time of year is a nightmare and a stroll on the beach means having to constantly scour the horizon for dogs. We just try to stay very calm when a dog comes bounding up and he has improved. He actually patted a big soppy retriever, very gingerly and has stopped backing off and screaming in distress. I think it could simply be the exposure to lots of different dogs that has helped. Loraine Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
marshmallow Report post Posted July 25, 2006 A couple of months ago we were walking along when a great big noisy dog charged up to DS, he was already scared of them and went into complete melt down mode then legged it across a busy road, the dog owner caght up with the dog grabbed its collar and started having a go at me while I was trying to gather up DD and DS2 to go after DS, apparently I should have made DS stand there (easier said than done) and made him stroke the dog, Though from what I saw the dog was in no mood for stroking! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bagpuss Report post Posted July 25, 2006 Our dd has a phobia of dogs. Shes 5 (asd). No reason for this phobia to develop, but she becomes very upset if she sees one. We no longer visit anyone with a dog...because of the absolute terror she feels/displays. Either dh or I will visit with our elder two children.....she even gets upset if the dog is put in the garden, so that doesn't help. If we are out and she sees a dog she starts to shake, cry, cling on to me. She is also scared of hand dryers.....although this is becoming less so, and the school worked so hard to help her overcome this phobia. She also recently became very afraid by vehicles travelling behind us, and now this has escalated to vehicles parking behind us outside our house. She gets upset if she is being looked at by other children, the neighbours etc. I've also noticed recently that if we are out in town etc, and anyone tries to talk to her, make eye contact with her, she will cling to me, turn her head away, and seems genuinely scared...sometimes she will say "don't look at me, don't look at me". Insects are a biggy too....she can't distinguish between flies, bees, wasps etc and thinks all insects can sting or bite. I've not found a solution.....sorry.....just thought it worthwhile sharing our experiences. Take care. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jb1964 Report post Posted July 25, 2006 (edited) Yep, DS is terrified of dogs, cats, insects, birds, showers, toilets, air conditioning units, hand/hair driers.............Don't know why but with 2 other young children it keeps us virtually prisoners in our own house when DH is working as I cannot cope with him going mad when out and about and the other 2, not enough hands!!!! Yes, same here for the other things (as well as the dog thing) - although I have to say the older she's got the better it is (not that it's gone completely but she can cope with certain!! things for a certain!!! amount of time). I would probably say when she was 7/8yrs it culminated to it's worst for fans/air conditioning units/driers - anything that made that humming kind of noise - on top of the noise phobia we had the anxieties over who controlled it (i.e. outside home and didn't know who would turn them off, what if they were left on etc). She also still hates flies, gnats, all insects particularly that can fly (the fly thing CAHMS managed to get out of her that it was to do with germs and again not being able to control them flying around her or that she couldn't escape from them/they would touch her etc). Same with grass and the kidney bean plants - growing, when would they stop, how would they stop growing etc. Take care, Jb Edited July 25, 2006 by jb1964 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darky Report post Posted July 25, 2006 my daughter has these fears and phobias, we had always tried to overcome them with social stories and using an anxiety scale, but it seemed we would get over one phobia and she would develop another. last novemeber it went from just screaming and trying to get away, to fighting me, kicking punching swearing spitting etc, anything to try and get away from the situation. shes 7 so its not so easy to restrain her anymore especialy when i have my boys to contend with as well. our consultant perscribed her prozac, which had a brilliant effect, however she became extremely hyperactive and it was as if she had NO inhabitions at all! so he changed her to citalopram and that seems to be so much better. she gets a little nervy at times,but i think some of it is a learnt response rather than fear now. its made a huge difference to us and to her too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jools Report post Posted July 25, 2006 my 11yr old daughter (NT) is very frightened of dogs. she always has been and i can't remember anything setting it off. when she was younger she would run across the road if she saw a dog on the same side as us and would scream so loud it would frighten me! i asked the GP for advice who sent us to the hospital. it was a waste of time to be honest. we were given a talk on reassurance and making her feel safe but no practical things to help her get over it she is better now in that she doesn't scream but she still freezes if near one and will cling on to me for dear life as for the woman who shouted at you, this used to make me really cross. especially when dog owners say 'he won't bite' or 'he won't hurt you'. thats very difficult to explain to a terrified child when a dog is running towards them or jumping up at them! i'm not sure how we got over this to be honest. just constant reassurance and when we were out it was agreed that no matter what if she saw a dog she had to try hard not to scream and to hold my hand. she still comes for my hand now. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Daisydot Report post Posted July 25, 2006 my daughter has these fears and phobias, we had always tried to overcome them with social stories and using an anxiety scale, but it seemed we would get over one phobia and she would develop another. last novemeber it went from just screaming and trying to get away, to fighting me, kicking punching swearing spitting etc, anything to try and get away from the situation. shes 7 so its not so easy to restrain her anymore especialy when i have my boys to contend with as well. our consultant perscribed her prozac, which had a brilliant effect, however she became extremely hyperactive and it was as if she had NO inhabitions at all! so he changed her to citalopram and that seems to be so much better. she gets a little nervy at times,but i think some of it is a learnt response rather than fear now. its made a huge difference to us and to her too. Thanks Darky, perhaps I will speak to the GP. My son also seems anxious about foods. He only sticks to food he knows and becomes anxious when asked to try something new. I wonder whether the medication might help that too - that really would be a miracle ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LizC Report post Posted July 25, 2006 Hi My son doesn't like dogs either. he isn't as bad as your son but he really can't stand them, he doesn't like to walk past them in the street and is very edgy with my mother in laws dog. he too doesn't like the licking! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kazzen161 Report post Posted July 25, 2006 My friend's son is scared of dogs, and when I was in Maplin/maplan? (Electrical gadget store) I noticed they had a gadget that kept dogs away from you. Don't know if it works, but cost ?10 or so. Karen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jlp Report post Posted July 25, 2006 Our dd has a phobia of dogs. Shes 5 (asd). No reason for this phobia to develop, but she becomes very upset if she sees one. We no longer visit anyone with a dog...because of the absolute terror she feels/displays. Either dh or I will visit with our elder two children.....she even gets upset if the dog is put in the garden, so that doesn't help. If we are out and she sees a dog she starts to shake, cry, cling on to me. She is also scared of hand dryers.....although this is becoming less so, and the school worked so hard to help her overcome this phobia. She also recently became very afraid by vehicles travelling behind us, and now this has escalated to vehicles parking behind us outside our house. She gets upset if she is being looked at by other children, the neighbours etc. I've also noticed recently that if we are out in town etc, and anyone tries to talk to her, make eye contact with her, she will cling to me, turn her head away, and seems genuinely scared...sometimes she will say "don't look at me, don't look at me". Insects are a biggy too....she can't distinguish between flies, bees, wasps etc and thinks all insects can sting or bite. I've not found a solution.....sorry.....just thought it worthwhile sharing our experiences. Take care. Bagpuss Out son was absolutely terrified of handdryers from about 2 until maybe 6 mths ago (he's 6 1/2 now). The fear went eventually (to be replaced by a fear of being alone, sigh) so bear with it and it will pass. He never liked to people speaking to him or even the baby in his buggy but is better with that now as long as he's not already cross. With regard to the original post about dogs, we already had that problem but last summer when we walking home from school a German Shepard (sp?) bit ds#1 unprovoked so now he's absolutely deservedly terrified of them. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joshanddanfans Report post Posted July 25, 2006 my two one diagnosed other in process have had many fears and phobias one is 6 one 5. hand dryers dogs lawn mowers water touching face big one at moment being alone as in toilet and bed shielas wheels advert makes j freak out hair clippers crowds,halls, nail clipping really bad about car washes the dark Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jlp Report post Posted July 25, 2006 shielas wheels advert makes j freak out Oooh Sheila's wheels is disliked intensely in our house too by ds#1 (6 with AS) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darky Report post Posted July 25, 2006 my son (9 yrs dx aspergers) LOVES the shiela's wheels advert they are all so different eh!! my daughter (7dx pdd-nos) used to freak at a man in the yellow pages, lord only knows why, he didnt look that scary, quite normal actually! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
aro Report post Posted July 25, 2006 lil bat has always (and I mean that, from birth!) hated News 24 theme and recently Eastenders theme tune and Storymakers (ceebeebies) Opening theme and the computer turning into the story machine ! Bless them! Anna x Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jb1964 Report post Posted July 25, 2006 my son (9 yrs dx aspergers) LOVES the shiela's wheels advert they are all so different eh!! My 13yr (ASD) daughter loves this too. She hates the one about 'dad's pant's in the middle of his roll' - can't think what it's advertising - but she'll scream when it comes on to turn it off. Take care, Jb Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CarerQuie Report post Posted July 25, 2006 (edited) My son also has a dog phobia.In his case,he believes that dogs eat bones and that they want to eat his bones.Nothing we say will convince him otherwise.xx Edited July 25, 2006 by CarerQuie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PinkSapphireAngel Report post Posted July 26, 2006 My son is petrified of all dogs too! He is also terrified of anything to do with death, heaven, hell etc and cannot handle Halloween. I am sure there are loads of other phobias he has but my brain is a bit fried with the heat lol Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
curra Report post Posted July 26, 2006 My DS 12 likes all animals in general, cats in particular but he has never liked dogs,. His greatest phobia is the dark (he still needs a light in the night) and crowds come in second place. The dark can really terrify him. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest hallyscomet Report post Posted July 27, 2006 (edited) My ASD/Dyspraxic/SAL impared son is absolutely terrified of dogs. We have no idea where this has come from, but we are getting to the stage where we cannot go out to the park in case there is a dog in the area. We went to legoland the other day and someone was walking their dog and giving it a drink right at the other side of the huge car park. My son was terrified. He is ok with cats (we have four). He is quite happy playing the dog game on the Nintendo, or playing with stuffed dogs, its just real ones hes terrified of. He says he doesnt like them licking him. Not that hes ever really been licked with a dog. He has never had a bad experience with a dog. He started having phobias about bees, lorries and other things a while ago, which happened at the same time he was very stressed about school. These fears seem to have calmed down now, but the dog one is getting worse. Does anyone have any suggestions about where I could go to get help for him about this ? Or what causes these fears. Thanks for any advice Daisydot Hi Daisydot, Best advice for any child that has had a traumatic experience with a dog or has a phobia with dogs is to take your child to an animal shelter where there is lots of dogs and explain to the keepers that your child is scared of dogs. What they will do or ask them if they could help, what they need to do is to get your child to sit in a cage with a dog for 15 mins to 30 mins a sit and pat and cuddle a dog, the keeper will help your child overcome fear and explain to your child how to feel safe and how to behave around dogs and what to look for. I was attacked by a German Shepherd when at a friend birthday party I was only about 6 it jumped up on my shoulders and knocked me down to the ground and viciously barked in my face, we were playing tag at the time and as I grabbed my friend as part of the game who was the owner; well this set the dog off, luckily it didnt bite me, but this is what my parents did to help me overcome my fear. I am not scared of dogs anymore. Thanks to this. Hope this helps. Hailey Edited July 27, 2006 by hallyscomet Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tilly Report post Posted July 29, 2006 My dd use to be absolutely scared witless about dogs and would run a mile if she saw a one, whether they were on a lead or not. Then she began to calm down a little if she knew they were on a lead but was still very wary. We bought her Nintendogs for her Nintendo DS which she loves and then she started to show an interest in dogs and recognising the different breeds when we were out. Yesterday we spent a glorious day at the seaside and we were all in the sea when a dog came bounding over to us all and dropped his green frisbee in the water for dd to throw. We were all waiting for the big outcry but the dog just looked at dd and we told her to throw the ring for her as we were with her. She did this and the dog returned the frisbee about half a dozen times!!! Eventually the owner came over and I explained the situation and it turns out that the dog was a PAT dog. I'm not saying dd is over her fear but it was a step in the right direction. Tilly Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lil_me Report post Posted July 29, 2006 Wow Tilly that's great. Part of me wishes my youngest had a fear of dogs, as he'll walk up to any dog wanting to stroke it, if it barks or growls he says 'poor puppy there there' and doesn't put him off He also keeps trying to escape at the minute to go for walks with people who are walking their dog. Oldest is wary but not scared of dogs, but he has a major issue with flies, oh I hate the summer for that. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
forbsay Report post Posted July 30, 2006 Hi My asd son used to be terrified of dogs. We bought him a very large toy puppy and we believe this is helping him overcome his fear. We also give him lots of assurance that the dogs will not hurt him when we go out for a walk and spy a dog! Last week when we were on hols, he was trying to clap all the dogs - it was as if he was trying to build himself up to do this ................. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tilly Report post Posted August 1, 2006 Oldest is wary but not scared of dogs, but he has a major issue with flies, oh I hate the summer for that. My dd is scared witless of flies in the house. She doesn't mind them if they are outside but will scream hysterically if one comes inside. I can't fathom out her fears because she will tolerate moths, dragonflys and woodlouse and other insects One of her favourite jokes is WHAT DO YOU CALL A FLY THAT HAS NO WINGS? A WALK!!! Tilly Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
