A child gets separated from their parents in a large crowd and gets lost. A child sticks their head between the bars of a fence and then cannot get back out. A child crawls into a hole and gets stuck, or cannot find their way back. A child is left in their parents car, truck, or van. A child is in a crowded area with no windows (a classroom, basement, etc.) and has run-ins with other people, or is put there as a means of punishment.The term past experiences, according to one author, can extend to the moment of birth. In John A. Speyrers "Claustrophobia and the Fear of Death and Dying", the reader is brought to the conclusion that claustrophobias high frequency is due to birth trauma, about which he says is "one of the most horrendous experiences we can have during our lifetime", and it is in this helpless moment that the infant develops claustrophobia. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can trigger claustrophobia. An MRI scan entails lying still for some time in a narrow tube. In a study involving claustrophobia and MRI, it was reported that 13% of patients experienced a panic attack during the procedure. The procedure has been linked not only to the triggering of preexisting claustrophobia, but also to the onset of the condition in some people. Panic attacks experienced during the procedure can stop the person from adjusting to the situation, thereby perpetuating the fear. S.J. Rachman tells of an extreme example, citing the experience of 21 miners.
It is also confused sometimes with Cleithrophobia (the fear of being trapped).Diagnosis of claustrophobia usually transpires from a consultation about other anxiety-related conditions. Certain criteria have to be met to be diagnosed with specific phobias. This criteria includes:
an interminable obstructive or excessive fear caused by the existence or anticipation of a specific situation
anxiety response when stimulus is exhibited; can result in panic attacks in adults or, for children, an outburst, clinging, crying, etc. acknowledgment by adult patients that their fear stems from the anticipated threat or danger
engaging in procedures to evade dreaded object or situation, or proneness to face the situation but with discomfort or anxiety
the persons evasion of the object or situation impedes with everyday life and relationships
the phobia is continuous, usually for 6 months or longer
symptoms cannot be ascribed to other underlying mental conditions, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Scale
This method was developed in 1979 by interpreting the files of patients diagnosed with claustrophobia and by reading various scientific articles about the diagnosis of the disorder. Once an initial scale was developed, it was tested and sharpened by several experts in the field. Today, it consists of 20 questions that determine anxiety levels and desire to avoid certain situations. Several studies have proved this scale to be effective in claustrophobia diagnosis. Questionnaire
This method was developed by Rachman and Taylor, two experts in the field, in 1993. This method is effective in distinguishing symptoms stemming from fear of suffocation.