A New Fear Factor

Our son has a new phobia.  Last Friday, during a screening of the PBS show “Arthur” in his classroom, he rose from his chair and said to his teacher, “I have to leave now.”  He stood in the doorway and would not return to his seat.  So the teacher’s aide took him for a walk until the show ended.    

Later, my husband and I asked our son why he didn’t want to stay in his chair.  He said, “I don’t like Arthur.”  We discussed other possible triggers including sensory issues or problems with classmates.  I was certain that our son had watched this show at home without a similar reaction.  Finally, we concluded he doesn’t like Arthur at school.   

Anxiety is common in children with autism spectrum disorder.  Between 11 percent and 84 percent of children with ASD experience some degree of impairing anxiety, according to a 2009 review study by researchers at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.    

What’s more, some children with ASD may experience situational phobias.  For instance, our son widens his eyes and grips my hand harder than a WWF wrestler when riding in elevators or sitting in some darkened movie theaters.

In a 2005 study by researchers at Bucknell University in Pennsylvania, children with ASD reported having more situational phobias and medical fears than other children including typically-developing children and those with Down syndrome.  But the researchers also found that children with ASD had less fears of harm/injury compared with the other groups of children.

In addition, children with autism may have phobias of more than one situation or object.  In a 2006 study by researchers at the University of Louisville in Kentucky, 44 percent of children with ASD met the diagnostic criteria for specific phobia.  And over 10 percent of the children with ASD had a phobia of loud noises.

One possible option for dealing with specific phobias may be modeling appropriate behavior.  Modeling therapies (e.g. video, participant or self-modeling) have been used to treat other disorders including obsessive-compulsive disorder and social phobia.  However, this type of therapy may not be suitable for some children with ASD.  Other treatments include cognitive behavioral therapy and increasing approach responses to the fear-evoking stimuli.

Certainly, anything is better than crouching in the doorway.  So far, our son’s displeasure with this television show hasn’t extended to home activities or other objects.  But, gradually, we hope that he conquers his fears and not retreats from them.