Scary movie

My 4-year old came into the room when we were watching the Sixth Sense.  It was about 2-months ago.  It scared him and now he will not do or go anywhere unless we are right beside him.  He used to go to his room & play, he used to go to the bathroom by himself.  Now he will not do anything but follow us from room to room.  What can I do?

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

Dear Jackie,

Try to be patient and supportive; your son will likely return to his former level of functioning. Your experience demonstrates how imprtant it is for parents to be vigilant about what their children view. At such a young age, children are not able to distinguish reality from whatever movie or show they seee on television or in the movies. They take it all in a literate, concrete manner.

If your son mentions the movie, ask him about what scares him. You may not be able to immediately reassure him, but you will have the opportunity to correct any distortions he may have picked up from what he viewed.