Children can have trypophobia too

Trypophobia is often assumed to be an adult experience, but children can have it too. The aversion to clusters of holes or bumps is considered largely instinctive, so it can appear even at a young age — and studies suggest younger people may react more strongly.

Because children struggle to put sensations into words, it often shows up as "vaguely not liking something" or crying and getting upset without being able to explain why — which makes it easy for adults to miss.

Signs to watch for in children

  • Not wanting to look at, hiding, or refusing to turn the page on certain photos, foods, or picture-book pages
  • Suddenly becoming upset or scratching their skin when seeing honeycomb, sponges, the surface of a strawberry, etc.
  • Saying things like "that's gross" or "I hate the bumpy thing"
  • Becoming restless or having trouble sleeping after seeing such images

Even if you notice these, it does not necessarily mean a "medical condition that needs treatment." Most cases ease naturally with age, but if the reaction is strong enough to disrupt daily life, consider consulting a professional.

What parents should NOT do

Well-meant responses can sometimes make the anxiety worse.

  • Dismissing it ("you're overreacting," "it's all in your head"): denying their experience teaches them to bottle it up.
  • Forcing exposure to "get them used to it": forced exposure usually backfires and intensifies the fear.
  • Teasing or making a joke of it: turning the reaction into entertainment breeds shame and isolation.

How parents can respond at home

  • Acknowledge the feeling first: reassure with "that was unpleasant, wasn't it" and "you don't have to look."
  • Set up an avoidable environment: know in advance which books or videos contain difficult images.
  • Respect their pace: don't rush "overcoming" it; go slowly, and only when they show interest.

The key message is: "this is not weird." Shivering at clusters of holes is a natural reaction many people share — it is far from unusual.

If you want to understand what your child is experiencing, taking our free trypophobia test yourself can give you a real sense of "what that feeling is like."