Ah, summer… a time when hundreds of thousands of families are taking to the skies en route to their favorite vacation destinations. But, summer is also a time when many children are flying for the very first time. So, how do you deal with a child who has her heart set on having breakfast with Mickey and Minnie Mouse in Florida, but refuses to board a plane to get there?
Experts say that a fear of flying is quite common, especially for young children who have never experienced a plane flight. It’s important not to discount their fears. Your child may not be able to fully articulate his fear, but know that in most cases this fear is real and quite scary. In fact, for some children thoughts of flying can lead to anxiety, tears, sweating, rapid heartbeat and muscle tension.
So, what can you do to alleviate your child’s fear of flying?
Address the Fear. Make sure he or she has accurate information about planes and air travel. You can do this by calling the local airport and obtaining statistics on the number of flights that experienced difficulties taking off or landing on a given day. Do research on line or at the library. Once you’ve collected the information share it with your child. Try to present it in a way that is not so academic. Be creative. Use pictures and simple words to illustrate your point. Providing children with correct information helps them purge any misinformation about air travel that they may have obtained from other sources.
Visit an Airport Prior to Your Trip. With the tight security measures that are currently in place at area airports consider parking on the outskirts of an airport, near the runways. I have done this with my young cousin at the San Diego Airport and in Hawaii at the Hilo International Airport. We packed a picnic lunch and sat for hours watching planes take off and land SAFELY.
Accentuate the Positive. Encourage your spouse, other family members, friends or neighbors to talk to your child about positive experiences they have had flying. Then, discuss the exciting parts of your upcoming trip.
The Power of Playing. In a previous blog I reviewed a few of my daughter’s favorite aviation-theme toys and books. We prepared her for her first flight by role-playing with toy figures and a toy plane. We also read books that featured parents with young children taking off in a “big airplane” for a high-flying adventure.
Seek Professional Help. If your child’s fears persist and it gets to the point where he or she refuses to fly or go on the planned trip, it might be necessary to obtain professional help. Have your pediatrician recommend a psychologist who can help your child cope with his or her negative thoughts, feelings, and behaviors regarding air travel.
Virtual Flying. There is new technology called virtual reality therapy that allows children (and adults) to experience a “virtual plane flight.” Basically, the child sits in a seat with eye goggles that allows him to see special virtual reality images projected onto small screens in front of his eyes. The child then hears sounds associated with an actual plane flight, which corresponds to the images he sees on the screen. In addition, the seat vibrates and shakes with increasing intensity to correspond to the visual images seen. This therapy is offered at several places throughout the country, including the Child and Adolescent Fear and Anxiety Treatment Program at Boston University.
Finally, while you may realize that the best way for your child to conquer his fear of flying is to actually take a real plane ride—he might not agree. It’s a good idea to practice patience, be a bit sympathetic and put forth some effort to help him readjust his thoughts and feelings about flying.
Related Articles:
· Preparing Kids for “Take-Off”
· Flying with Children: Layover or Not?