During which stage of childhood do children typically develop a fear of illness and death?

The stage of childhood when children typically develop a fear of illness and death is during school age. During this period, which generally includes ages 6 to 12, children begin to understand more complex concepts related to health and mortality. Cognitive development during this stage allows them to grasp the permanence of death and the idea that illness can affect them or their loved ones. This awareness can lead to increased anxiety and fear surrounding these topics as they begin to differentiate between reality and fantasy, thereby making them more sensitive to notions of danger and loss.

In contrast, infancy involves limited cognitive abilities where children are primarily focused on their basic needs and sensory experiences, leaving little room for such fears. Early childhood, while marked by developing emotional understanding, often makes children more concerned with more immediate fears like separation from parents or fear of the dark, rather than the abstract concepts of illness or death. Adolescence does bring about a more profound understanding of these themes, but fears about illness and death are often driven by other developmental challenges, such as identity and relationships, making school age the more precise answer for the initial development of these fears.