has anybody tried this, or know of anyboy who has? Does it work?

In some ways I don't want to overcome my phobia because I think that balloons are actually evil and vile and dangerous and should be banned asnd i don't WANT to ever touch one (feel sick at the tohught actually), but my niece will shortly be at an age where she is going to want to play with them (she went batshit mental on saturday when she saw one- meanwhile I was running for the hills), and I don't want to have to sit in the car while everybody else enmjoys her birthday party, etc etc.

So, does it work? What will they do to me?