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Del Morrill, M.S. C.C.H

Transitions

A Center for Counseling & Hypnosis
Tacoma, Washington, USA
(253) 752-1506

Child's Fear of Buttons

Hi, my 5 year old, nearly 6, daughter has a fear of buttons. This started about when she turned 4. At first we thought this was just attention seeking silliness. But I've heard the same consistent complaint (for nearly two years). She really can not stand to be near them, let alone wear them. She runs off and becomes moody. I first noticed this when I wore certain outfits or if I tried to make her wear a certain dress for church... OH MY, the struggles we've had. Then as a mom, I realized this is real. She’s SO consistent, and truly unnerved by them. She says they smell. It's only certain little plastic ones with holes. I can usually convince her that wooden or bone ones are OK, but she still squirms.

I've avoided all buttons in our house for the last year now; but the occasional old hand-me-down will come out of the box for her little sister, and I won't see that it has buttons on it, and she's right on it, IMMEDIATELY. She says she can smell them. If she’s anywhere near them, she has to leave the room.

It's been a bit of a problem with my husband's family, who will not believe that this is real, and is strict with her, telling her it's silly and forcing button clothes on her. I've stepped in and insisted it's not healthy to force the issue, and that it's real and we need to work with her to find a solution. They insist that the whole world isn't going to beckon to her little problem with buttons, and she needs to just get over it.

Well, she’s only 5, and this is a big thing for her, and she doesn't understand that this is fixable, that she needs to fix it, that mommy can't keep the buttons away forever, that she can't be a grumpy, moody, be a brat and run away every time there's a button in the room. As you can see, we need some help. I was convinced when I read SO MANY testimonials from other who suffer from this, across the world and of all ages. Most all of them with the same comments of my 5 yr old. If you haven't read some of these, check out this site, it's got some great testimonials:

http://www.unusualphobias.com/buttons.html.

Anyway, I'd like to find a method to work with my daughter in such a way that this doesn't have to any more of a stigma than it already is for her, to prepare her for school, for life in a world of buttons, so that she doesn't shy away from all that's wearing a button.

ANSWER

I’ve had other parents concerned about what seems like strange fears or requests or insistences from their small children.  Usually, they grow out of it.  Personally, my own belief is that she may have some experience in a previous existence that connects with this problem, probably an odor is involved in whatever that situation was.  Perhaps you could contact some hypnotherapist in your location to find out who works with past life regression AND children.  My first approach with child who has a phobia is to give suggestions to the mind “that it seek out whatever imprints are causing the fear of buttons, and change them into something more helpful to her now in this time of her life.”  Before seeking a therapist, this is something that you could even do at night with her when she is sleeping, repeating that request several times by her ear. I would recommend doing so each night for a week to see what happens.  If the phobia doesn’t lessen, then the alternative is a good hypnotherapist. Good luck to you,

 

 
 

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