Masklophobia refers to the fear of masks and which usually happens due to the toddler's developing mind and growing imagination.
Toddlers think that they are tiny considering their small size and such mascots are too large and scary for them.
Dr. Lewis First, Chief of Pediatrics at Vermont Children's, said not to force your children to have a close encounter with costumed kind and do not tease them about it. Instead, let them know that you understand their situation and it is okay to be afraid of mascots.
Mascots are normally used for entertainment, sporting events, parades, etc., per Hogtown Mascots .
Such fear will eventually grow out before they reach school age.
Masklophobia As Real Fear
Children grew up with mascots they ordinarily see on television like Cookie Monster or Big Bird on Sesame Street but from their point of view, mascots are small that's why they will be shocked when they see one in real life as it is something they do not expect.
Kids are still unable to distinguish reality from fiction. Many children outgrow such fear but for a few, the anxiety symptoms grow worse and can take place every time the child is within sight of a mascot.
Dr. Martin Seif, Clinical Psychologist, Associate Director of the Anxiety and Phobia Treatment Center at White Plains Hospital stated that the center of all phobias is the concept of anxiety sensitivity.
Symptoms are typically muscles locking or tensing up, running away from mascots, and avoidance of theme parks or sporting events.
Children tend to be less afraid of the Disney face characters specifically the princesses, thus, start introducing your kid to a face character like Cinderella and Snow White as they speak and are adult size, per Under Cover Tourist .
Read Also: Dealing With Real-Life Monsters: How to Explain Dark and Scary News to Children
Overcoming One's Fear
Parents leading the way can sometimes work. They must first greet the characters and the other stays with the child at a distance so that the toddler can see that it's safe. Due to the toddler's imagination, they can sometimes think that mascots will harm them or specifically bite them especially if the mascots are animal characters.
Holding your child during the meet-and-greet can mean to them that you are supporting them and there's nothing wrong with their reaction. Be patient and wait for your child to initiate things with mascots and not the other way around.
Give kids enough time and never push a character encounter as this will not help at all and can ruin the day.
If the phobia is getting worse, seek help as there is a treatment for phobias in children that seeks to combine therapies for the best result. Such treatment is known as Cognitive-Behavioral therapy.
Through such therapy, children will be taught to explore beliefs and change them into more healthier and realistic ones.
According to Very Well Mind , phobias in children are not diagnosed except if it persists for six months or longer and is the root of clinically significant distress or impairment.
Children are put more at ease when mascots squat down to the child as they will think that it is not forever huge for them.
Related Article : Common Types Of Phobia: Symptoms And Treatment
