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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

2 year old DS suddenyl terrified of the bath

15 replies

popsycal · 29/11/2004 19:40

DS is a chirpy chap who has no fear whatsoever. He is easy going and used to love his bath - but for the last few weeks he will go nowhere near it.

It started where he wouldn't have his hair washed afew months ago - so we bought a cap thingy and that solved it. But afew weeks ago he wouldnt sit down in the bath but would get washed etc. Then last week he screamed when we put him in and shouted to get out. This week he just will not even be put in the bath. He genuinely seems terrified. Even bribery with not having to wash his hair and choc buttons to have in the bath didnt work tonight!!

Have tried allsorts - special soap which he loves to use, face cloths with disney characters on, chosing new bath toys, etc etc etc. Oh and chocolate button bribery.

Nothing has worked! Can't link it to any 'event' related to the bath or bathroom. But it is getting ridiculous.....

any thoughts or suggestions?

BTW he loves the swimming pool and has no qualms about being splashed there - so it isnt fear of the water. He isnt just wanting his own way either - he seems genuinely scared but isn't articulate enough with his speech yet to tell us why.

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tammybear · 29/11/2004 19:43

aww bless him. have you thought of going in the bath with him? months ago dd went through a phase of not wanting to get in the bath so i would go in with her for a couple of weeks and then she was fine. maybe an idea to try?

Original poster

popsycal · 29/11/2004 19:44

we have had a week off from the bath - and I have tried going in with him and so has DH. It is really weird! Might ask my mum if she would put him and his cousin in the bath together at hers....hadnt thought of that one.......don't know where that idea just came from!

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Original poster

popsycal · 29/11/2004 20:21

any other suggestions???

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enid · 29/11/2004 20:30

popsycal - a lot of kids seeem to 'get fear' about this age. I posted recently about dd2's night waking and fear in her bedroom (now we leave the door open, she's happy again).

If this was me (apart from posting here about it ) I would wash him with a flannel and forget about baths for a bit. Sometimes when you take the pressure off, they forget about what was bothering them.

Will he go in the shower after swimming?

coppertop · 29/11/2004 20:30

It's common for toddlers to have a fear that they will go down the plug-hole with all the water. The only way I could get around this was by putting a little water in the bath at non-bath times and letting ds1 reach over and pull out the plug himself. He soon got used to the idea that he had the control over the plug. Obviously if he does decide to get back in then continue to let him pull the plug when he's out of the bath.

Original poster

popsycal · 29/11/2004 20:33

excellent ideas!

he wont go in the shower after swimming though......
i will see if my mum can get him in the bath tomorrow.....

he loves water - it is so odd....
He always gets out of the bath before i take the plug out.....thinking aloud here!

and as for flannel washing, he told me tonight that 'making me tired...scratch scrath...ooooh itchy' - maybe i wil buy a nice soft sponge.....

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mrsmiawallace · 29/11/2004 20:36

dd is also the same,its because she HATES having her hair washed! and asks me every night now hair mammy?, if i tell her no, shes fine, but i try to prepare her through the day and tell her...big mistake!
she is getting a bit better, but still screams the house down whilst im washing it despite any bribery

Original poster

popsycal · 29/11/2004 20:38

I think it started with a fear of hair washing developing.....but even when i promise not to do hair, he will now not even go in the bath...

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mrsmiawallace · 29/11/2004 20:43

dd did that too for about 3 weeks, then once i started telling her..'just bath tonight..no hair!, she started understanding. hope it works out for you soon.

Original poster

popsycal · 01/12/2004 19:43

WE HAVE HAD SOME PROGRESS!!!!

Tonight, i did his tea really early so we had plenty time for a bath. STarted asking if he would like to play with water....splashed about with sink in kitchen for a bit - then suggested he had a right good splash with his feet in the bath.

He asked if we could take a picnic (last time we had a picnic was by a river.....and he splashed his feet...) so we packed a banana, some tomatoes, his milk and a ginger biscuit....

Went upstairs and he kept saying no hair mummy.....so we put bubbles in the water straught away to prove 'no hair'. DH helped him 'slide' down the sloped bit afew times, ds played with the bubbles (mainly standing up) and ate his picnic in the bath.

Kept saying no hair please or need poo poo (his excuse to get out of the bath)

Anyway - stayed in 5 mins and got out. Washed him afterwards once we got downstairs.

Then he did two wees in the potty
a very successful evening!!!

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elandjacksmum · 01/12/2004 20:24

Couple of thoughts. Our dd went through exactly the same process a while back. We got her back into it in two ways:

She needed to have control of the temperature - 'try it first with your feet. Too hot, too cold or just right?' Then she gets right in. It seemed to be the control element that was the crux of it for her. We eventually linked her fear back to a time grandad made the bath a wee bit hotter than she was used to.
Hair. Twinkle twinkle in the swimming baths. Lying right back with ears in and doing a really rubbish star shape while you both sing twinkle twinkle little star. This becomes twinkle twinkle in the bath, and once they've done that once or twice and been told how marvellous they are you get to wash their hair whilst singing - usually washed and rinsed before you get to the end of the song!

Good luck.

Original poster

popsycal · 01/12/2004 20:27

those are really good ideas - thanks.....
will wait a few days then try the first one....

then at the weekend we will go swimming and try the second
thanks

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Original poster

popsycal · 06/12/2004 20:02

Just an update.....
ds is readily going in the bath now if he can put bubbles in first...
then yesterday, i got in the bath with him and played a game with involved looking at the ceiling and dh sneakily washed his hair

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Original poster

popsycal · 07/12/2004 19:41

Another update!

DS asked for ;bath time with no hair' tonight......and he loved it - splashing water in his face but kept saying 'no hair mammy??'

Anyway - he loved it so much, that he wouldn't get out......:)

Now to slowly crack hair washing!

Thanks for all the advice - really do appreciate it!

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Original poster

popsycal · 08/12/2004 19:28

bath problem now solved!
thanks so much for advice
I now have a boy who demands a bath....'come on mammy bath time not tv time!' and will lie back and 'swim' with his head under water!

:)
I am a happy mammy

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