For instance, a child who has had a severe allergic reaction to a bee sting may become extremely afraid of bees. This fear is not irrational. It becomes a phobia when the child refuses to go outside at recess for fear a bee may be present or when even a picture of a bee causes anxiety and fear. In adults, the distinction between a reasonable fear and a phobia is easier to determine than it is with children. Adults with phobias are generally aware that their fears are irrational.
Children have a lesser ability to distinguish between what is real and what is imagined.
While adults may logically realize their fears are not realistic, children truly believe their fears are justified. Reassurance by adults that monsters are not real and are not living under the child's bed does little to calm them. Because of children's inability to make a clear distinction between reality and fantasy, adults are usually faced with the task of determining whether a fear is realistic. This can be difficult. Generally, experts recommend that parents trust their judgment.