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It is normal for children to have fears, such as taking a test, facing a growling dog, or waiting out a thunderstorm. A phobia is a kind of fear that does not go away. A child with a phobia will be
afraid of something every time it is seen or experienced, not just afraid once or twice. Children with phobias often go out of their way to avoid the situation or object that frightens them. The fear can be so severe that facing the situation or object can trigger a panic attack. This can make a child feel even more anxious and upset.

Specific phobias in childhood, as distinguished from normal fears, are excessive and persistent.
Children with phobias try to avoid the specific situations or objects they fear, and when confronted with the threatening stimulus, they often “freeze.” A reaction may also be judged phobic when the threatening stimulus is benign, and fear is thus inappropriate, such as when a child who is phobic about snakes sees a picture of a snake in a book There are many different kinds of phobias common in childhood, such as the fear of failure, the dark, injury, small animals, death, and going to the dentist.