https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 05 Jun 2026 21:03:19 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-intense-fear-of-crowds#post-1462998 Mon, 03 Mar 2014 10:02:59 +0000 BelugaBean 1462998@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mamaof2: We actually did show up early! There were already about 10 people there but it was a few minutes earlier than the party was supposed to start. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-intense-fear-of-crowds#post-1462966 Mon, 03 Mar 2014 09:53:26 +0000 T.H.O.U. 1462966@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BelugaBean: Another thought if you can't meet someone outside is to even go in quietly to the foyer of the house, stand there for a few minutes, maybe greet one or two people, and then slowly go into the room where all the guests are at. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-intense-fear-of-crowds#post-1462963 Mon, 03 Mar 2014 09:51:43 +0000 Mamaof2 1462963@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My DS was and still is this way - I have found that when he is one of the 1st kids to arrive he does great! But if we show up and there are 10 kids there already - oh boy - he doesn't do well at all!</p> <p>Not really a "fix" but try showing up early so she is the 1st guest and she how she does that way </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-intense-fear-of-crowds#post-1462950 Mon, 03 Mar 2014 09:48:21 +0000 BelugaBean 1462950@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T.H.O.U.: Yeah I would never skip right to medication. I'll try to see if someone walking in with her helps because it has before. I never thought of that! Thanks!</p> <p>@spaniellove: I'm thinking it may be the overstimulation since she's always been a bit sensitive to it. It was just so much worse yesterday. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-intense-fear-of-crowds#post-1462897 Mon, 03 Mar 2014 09:24:45 +0000 T.H.O.U. 1462897@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Personally, I would want to address different exercises and things you could do with her to help her overcome this before treating with any kind of medication. So if you wanted to talk to the doctor about that, maybe they could give you some strategies like, entering slowly (aka, don't immediately get out of the car and go inside have someone meet you outside first and then go in). </p> <p>My DD wasn't hysterical or anything but she definitely took time to adjust to new places and crowds. She goes to daycare so I'm pretty sure its not the noise level. I used to think about the saying that it takes them like 5 times as long to process one though compared to an adult so you can imagine the amount of extra time they need to adjust to a new situation. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-intense-fear-of-crowds#post-1462833 Mon, 03 Mar 2014 08:59:56 +0000 spaniellove 1462833@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Do you know if she has a hard time with the noise level (especially the chaos of all the voices put together), or seeing so many people moving around? I used to have meltdowns in public places as a toddler and as an adult I realized it probably had something to do with the chaotic noise. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-intense-fear-of-crowds#post-1462783 Mon, 03 Mar 2014 08:40:41 +0000 BelugaBean 1462783@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Dandelion: I always hold her until she asks to be put down. She wanted to be put down this time and immediately just fell on the ground screaming her head off when I set her down. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-intense-fear-of-crowds#post-1462779 Mon, 03 Mar 2014 08:37:51 +0000 Dandelion 1462779@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It's probably just overwhelming for her. Do you walk in holding her? Kids definitely don't like things to be different at places, so that definitely could be that she's just used to all those people there at your friend's house. She might just also be in a phase about it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-intense-fear-of-crowds#post-1462775 Mon, 03 Mar 2014 08:34:02 +0000 BelugaBean 1462775@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Also, she doesn't even necessarily have a fear of strangers. She'll be shy for a few minutes but she usually doesn't cry and she actually clicks pretty well with some new people. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-intense-fear-of-crowds#post-1462773 Mon, 03 Mar 2014 08:32:18 +0000 BelugaBean 1462773@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wanted to add that we went to a birthday party last week and she was fine. We've been wondering if it was because she's not used to a lot of random people at this particular friend's house? </p> <p>I just don't know at what point I should ask the doctor if she needs to be checked for anxiety? I tend to have anxiety issues and so does my brother so I know it wouldn't be unheard of for her to have issues. I'm just not even sure what they could do for a toddler? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-intense-fear-of-crowds#post-1462679 Mon, 03 Mar 2014 06:52:19 +0000 BelugaBean 1462679@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>LO seems to have a fear of crowds way above and beyond any of the other kids in our playgroup. She's fine in small groups but if it gets to be a bigger group, especially when you add in people she doesn't know, it's like she's from the exorcist all of a sudden.</p> <p>We went to a birthday party at our good friends' house yesterday. It's a place she's been at a million times and she loves the mom and her LO so much. As soon as we got in the door, she flipped. She screamed like she's never screamed before and it continued for 15-20 minutes. I finally found a spot she was okay with for her to calm down. </p> <p>I felt embarrassed and bad for everyone (LO, the birthday girl, everyone). I don't know why it stresses her out so badly. We went to a fairly crowded play date on Friday too and she cried for the first 5-10 minutes (she had met everyone there that time). </p> <p>It's intense sad/angry/scared crying/screaming to the point that she almost throws up. I've never seen another kid do this so I'm not even sure what to do. Things I've read say to just try different entrance strategies and ease her into things.</p> <p>Has anyone else experienced this? Is this something I should ask the doctor about if it continues to be this intense for a couple of months? Is there anything I can do to help her? She's just so upset but once she calms down, she loves playing with her friends. </p>