Hiding fears in school-age children may lead to phobias.

Hiding fears in school-age children may lead to phobias.

• A. False
• B. Not relevant
• C. True
• D. It can occur but not always.

Answer: (C)

In school-age children, unmanaged fears can evolve into phobias when the child hides or avoids what scares them rather than expressing and processing the fear. When fears are not verbalized or addressed, the child doesn’t receive support or coping strategies, so the anxiety can become chronic and more intense. Avoidance provides short-term relief but reinforces the fear cycle, making the fear more persistent and irrational over time. If a child consistently avoids a situation, and the fear disrupts daily functioning or lasts for months, it aligns with how a phobia can develop. So, it’s plausible—and supported by pediatric psychology—that hiding fears can contribute to phobic responses in some children.

In school-age children, unmanaged fears can evolve into phobias when the child hides or avoids what scares them rather than expressing and processing the fear. When fears are not verbalized or addressed, the child doesn’t receive support or coping strategies, so the anxiety can become chronic and more intense. Avoidance provides short-term relief but reinforces the fear cycle, making the fear more persistent and irrational over time. If a child consistently avoids a situation, and the fear disrupts daily functioning or lasts for months, it aligns with how a phobia can develop. So, it’s plausible—and supported by pediatric psychology—that hiding fears can contribute to phobic responses in some children.