Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi looking for advice. Our boy is 10 yrs old dual diagnosis autism and adhd. He is very articulate and bright but socially likes to be on his own even at school. For the last year he has developed a fear/phonia of wasps and other flying insects. It’s getting worse and we can’t get him outdoors We get him to school but runs into class then refuses to leave the room until it’s home time. I’ve put insect screens on windows as he was refusing to let me open windows. He screams and runs when sees anything flying is hysterical and he is highly vigilant, searching for them. He was almost run over last week. I was parking the car and a wasp landed on the outside of the windscreen, he opened the door and jumped out as car whilst it was moving ran into road a neighbour was coming into street and had to hit her breaks. He was trembling with fear. He has an interest in bugs, animals and sea life and loves reading books about them. Can tell you everything about bugs but isn’t helping his fear. It is impacting on his health and as a family we are becoming isolated as can’t take him anywhere.
he attends CAMHS re adhd meds and I’ve mentioned it when he attends clinic. they need to close windows in the room whilst he is thee but no advice being offered. I feeL he needs support from specialist re this as I fear we will get to point whereby I won’t get him out the house even for school. We had to come home from our holiday early as he refused to leave hotel.
Any advice appreciated and sorry for long post.
I became similarly scared of all things flying and buzzing after I was stung in the lip by a wasp when I was 7 or 8 (has someone he knows been stung? This would explain the change in his behaviour). Even now I can only cope with them by putting my fingers in my ears so I don't hear them, closing my eyes so I don't see them, hunching over to protect my nose and waiting until they go away. I don't tend to eat outdoors in case they get in the food. I had read that the more you flap and move about, the more they will bother you, so the best course of action is to remain still. Perhaps there is scope to educate him in safety, since he is already interested in insects. That way, when he is emotionally sensitive to the stimulation, you can remind him of what he knows. Partly it'll be about the unpredictability of knowing where the insect is going, so teaching him how to be ignored by the insects might help.
If the phobia is more complicated than a logical fear of being stung, then he may need counselling?
Have you spoken through the logic of what happened with him, in terms of actions and consequences? How he was feeling, what led him to do things that way, can you explain to him how you know the wasp was on the outside of the car, so he can do this himself?
Do you have child locks in the car? Can you put them on, so that he's not able to get out on his own? I realise this isn't always convenient, but it might be the safest option until he can manage the fear.