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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    .
    Posts
    6

    Default Fear of bathing/water-longish

    Hi all,
    I need your collective wisdom. My 2 year old DS started having problems with bathing a few months ago. Not sure what triggered it but may have something to do with him being afraid something is in the water, like a bug. It worsened acutely when my MIL gave him those capsules that have the sponges inside-they melt in water and "grow" the sponge that looks like an animal. She thought my son would love these-he hated them!! I have tried many things from sponge baths to showers (awful!). I first just let him go about a week without a real bath (baby wipe baths!) thinking he'd get over it... no suck luck. I tried the pool...would not even let me hold him in baby pool (it's a zero entry pool that he previously enjoyed). I then started letting him use bath paints and slowly adding water to wash him quickly and that helped some. Then we started with a bucket full of water and bubbles (Thomas bubbles!) and tried to get him to help me wash the paint off the bath tub tiles. Sort of worked. Then we started filling tub with bubbles slowly or just letting the water run. Tinted the bath water color of his choice with food coloring even! He seemed much better and would even "swim" and talk about swimming while bathing. I thought we were over the hump. Then he saw the washcloth submerged in the water and freaked out! Back to square one! He has toys out the wazoo, a bath doll, paints, crayons, you name it. Any thoughts on how to get this kid more comfy in the water??
    Input appreciated!
    TIA Amy

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    MA, USA.
    Posts
    1,862

    Default

    I don't have any suggestions other than perserverance! Is there any way you can bathe with him? We have a large tub so that's possible for us. I am actually in a similar situation with my boys. My youngest (who will be 3 in Apr) has major anxiety about bathtime, but his problem revolves around hair washing. The usual scenario goes like this:

    Me: I'm going to take a shower now.
    DS: Am I going to take a bath?
    Me: Yes, when I am through, I will run your bath.
    DS: *Hysterical screaming and crying* I'm going to wash my hair?
    Me: Yes, you have to wash your hair.
    DS: *More hysterical crying* NOOOOOOO!

    When I say hysterical, I mean mental breakdown hysterical. If he weren't genuinely upset, I'd laugh because it's pretty funny. He turns the hysterics on like a switch.

    The only solution I have come up with is that he comes in the shower with me just to wash his hair and then goes into the bath with his brother to finish. In my master bath we have a seperate shower and bathtub so this works.

    Both my boys are afraid of the pool. They play when their feet can touch the bottom but neither will let me hold them and "swirl" them around like other moms do. My oldest (4.5) did HORRIBLY in swim lessons - hysterical when the instructor wanted him to let go of her or the side of the pool. He had a bubble on and a pool noodle tied around him - no way could he sink, but he was terrified.

    I am hoping someone else can provide a good solution to water fears...it drives me crazy too since I hear other moms talk about how they can't get their kids out of the bath and how they swim like fish!
    Karen
    -----------
    Mom to 2 hockey-playing, Lego-loving boys DS1 2003 & DS2 2005

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Posts
    8,432

    Default

    Some kids get really afraid that they cannot control what's in the water with them, so it helps show them they have control.

    I'd work with him on "what's in the water" when he's in the tub. Nothing else but him and some bubbles (or whatever), but have him look at his knees, feet and toes underwater as he moves them, then fingers, hands, etc. Move up to giving him the washcloth to dip in and out. But go slow; let him set the pace.

    Sensitive little ones will need time (extended bath times are great, if hard on the skin!) to work around this fear.
    -Ivy

    Parenting two active, wonderful boys

    This is your world. Shape it or someone else will. -Gary Lew

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