Most children experience fears at some time during their lives.
In most cases these fears are a normal part of development. As with adults, it is appropriate for children to be fearful at times. Fears alert us of dangerous situations. For example, parents want their children to be afraid of, and thus stay away from, a growling, snarling dog. It is when such a fear generalizes to a fear of all dogs, or when it becomes so intense that children fear leaving the house, that the fear becomes a problem.