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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

toddler hates having hair washed

13 replies

caramelcoffeelover · 18/04/2011 10:36

Hi everyone,
I am not sure if this has been discussed already but couldn't find any relevant recent thread.
My DD, who's nearly 20 months old hates having her hair washed. I think it's started when a bit of water went into her eyes and she panicked, since then bathtime is a noisy and stressful experience for everyone involved.
Any of your DCs have gone through this and did you do anything different to get them to enjoy bathtime?
Thanks for your replies in advance.

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Mobly · 18/04/2011 11:11

I think they all go through phases of not likeing the bath. The trick is to make it as much fun as possible.

My boys love it when I blow bubbles while they are in the bath. Bath crayons are great too, so they can scribble all over the bath and then it just wipes off later.

I always let them pour in the bubble bath while water is running. We have lots of bath toys and books too.

With the hair washing, it can be difficult if they hate it. I tend to do it while they are disctracted playing. Use a mild, gentle on the eyes shampoo and only use a drop so there isn't as much rinsing required. I use a wet cloth to rinse.

There are jugs you can buy with a rubber section at the front to hold against their head so water doesn't run in their eyes.

I often bathe with my boys and they watch me lie back in the bath ro rinse my hair so that's what they do too but I appreciate this may not work immediately. Do you ever bathe with your DD? That might help too.

Mobly · 18/04/2011 11:11

liking

MmeSurvivedLent · 18/04/2011 11:13

I gave DC a facecloth to hold over their eyes.

Quick as possible while reciting the mantra, "Head back, eyes closed, head back, eyes closed, head back..."

MrsKwazii · 18/04/2011 11:13

I use the jug with the rubber section - much easier. Got mine from Mothercare. You can also get shampoo guards which look a bit like halos that stop water dripping on their faces. Perhaps your DD could help decorate one?

BikeRunSki · 18/04/2011 11:14

My 2.7 year DS did hate having his hair washed, and cut, but we perservered , praised him for being brave and so on and suddenly he's OK. Had his hair cut last week end without so much as a squeak and he doesn't mind having it wash now either. I'd keep going, but maybe cut down how often she needs her hair washed to a minimum.

Meglet · 18/04/2011 11:16

Mine usually screech when I do it, but I do it anyway. Sometimes they will put their flannels over their eyes, although they are generally in full scale whinging mode and just fling them off.

I love bath night .

GirlWithTheMouseyHair · 18/04/2011 20:57

I get my DS to lie down on his back in the bath, I support his head with one hand and wash/rinse with the other, no water in his eyes and I can keep eye contact with him to reassure him constantly

brehon · 19/04/2011 23:37

Have you tried getting hold of a shield? can't remember the proper term for it but it looks like a massive polo mint and it goes round the head above the eyes. I had one when i was little coz i hated getting the shampoo in my eyes and my kids had one as well. One of them called it their spaceman helmet. I think you should be able to get them in mothercare or boots.

TethersEnd · 19/04/2011 23:41

I use a doll and let DD 'wash' the doll's hair first, so she gets to steel herself for what's coming. It really helps.

ZhenXiang · 19/04/2011 23:45

I don't wash DD's hair that often as being mixed race it damages her hair if I wash more than once a week, but when I do I either do it quickly using a sponge/flannel to stop water going into eyes and using a sponge to squeeze water in the right direction or I have a bath with her and hold her in my arms (cradled) to tip her backwards. Seeing as your DD is already a bit freaked out by bathtime I would try to increase her confidence in the bath by making it fun with a new toy or something and when you need to wash hair by bathing with her until she gets more used to it.

Bohica · 19/04/2011 23:45

We use googles.

BlueChampagne · 20/04/2011 13:47

DS1 (3.5) still hates it but proceed with bribery and ignoring the shrieking. DS2 (16 mo) no problem!

Bouviergirl · 20/04/2011 15:18

Agree with others - our DS was just like this up to about 2.5yo. What really worked for us was the head guard, the halo-like bit of foam that just slips over their head and sits above eyes. We tried the jug and it worked ok but not great, water still gushed down sometimes. But it was the head guard that REALLY did what it said and kept the water out of eyes. In the beginning, DH would do the washing and I would hold onto DS whilst he got upset, and I would comfort him saying "look see - hat is working! no water in eyes!" etc. But gradually DS has just got more and more confident, i guess because the hat works, so pretty soon i wasn't needed and now DH just gets on with it and does hairwashing by himself. DS now doesn't make a fuss and even enjoys pouring water over own face and so on. We have lots of bath toys too. What I also found helped was going in water in summertime - last summer we could go to a paddling pool a lot (when he was still nervous about baths) and that definitely made a difference to getting familiar and more comfortable with water and baths. They do grow out of this stage, just have to persevere. But would highly recommend the head guard to help too.

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