fear of hand dryers and public toilets - anyone else had this??

[jollydo]

My ds (nearly 4) is frightened of the noise of hand dryers but is now getting ridiculous. He used to just panic a bit when in a public toilet, then would only go in ones where noone else could come in and switch on dryer. Now he's mostly refusing to go in public toilets at all incase there is a dryer, even if I check & assure him there isn't. He says he needs to go then will start to panic and say he doesn't.
Do I wait till he grows out of this or is there anything I can do? I'm not sure physically forcing him to go in would work - would it make it worse? Also he is heavy and it would require a big struggle to get him in- lots of screaming and big drama.
He does have a few other fears - and noises like blenders / fireworks / coffee machines are high on the list.
Mostly I go gently with him about these fears but this one is making it tricky when we go out.
Has anyone else had this problem and what did you do?

My DS1 was like that too, still is a little bit. We just used to shield him from the machines and promise not to turn them on. Distraction worked a bit - talking about something completely different to get him passed somebody else using them. Try not to mention them if possible. Lie if needs be and say the toilet doesn't have them and just say, if he sees them, that you had forgotten they were there.

My DS also hated the toilet flushing. It must be really hard work being frightened of so many things, mustn't it.

I think apart from the noise they are at the height, at 3 to 5 years old, that they get blasted in the face with hot air when they switch the dryers on which is really unpleasant.

You have to make sure that you always have a spare tissue though, to dry their hands after they have used the loo so the blowers aren't necessary.

DS1 is 7 now and has just about grown out of the fear although occasionally he does still get freaked by a particularly powerful, noisy one.

haven't read whole thread, but both mine are scared of those handdryers. DD1 is 4.1 and DD2 is 2.5

DD1 walks around them like they are a big vicious dog about to pounce on her.

Both refuse to wash their hands in public toilets (i use a baby wipe on them).

DD2 also is fast developing a complex about doors slamming when we're out of home. She always has to hold the door and gently close it. Usually to be followed by someone else slamming it and her freaking out

It is very tiresome...

I am amazed at how many have this fear. I love the idea of all these little children going into public loos wearing ear muffs - you may have started a trend now smee . I suggested them to ds today and he seemed rather keen...

I could have written this post....in fact I think I did one with the same title but put it elsewhere! We have actually had ds have 2 accidents on holiday this week just because he was too 'scared' to use public loos.

I'm going to be reading this thread with interest.

DD (3) hates them and won't use them, but it hasn't yet occurred to her not to use a public loo in case there's one there.

Just a mad thought, but what if he was allowed to sing or talk really really loudly all the time he was in there, to distract from the noise of the dryer. Or there's always good old bribery. You get a lolly (sugarfree, of course) if you go to the loo.

Having now read the whole thread, I concur with trying to use the disabled loo (although I feel bad about this) but unfortunately the hand gel won't solve the problem for ds as it is as much about other people using the handdryer nearby as him.

He too is scared of the hoover and hairdryer (although we made progress with this this week and he says he likes it now and is slightly less nervous when I use it!)

Oh and lawnmowers which is a nightmare when the gardener is here (luckily only every couple of weeks!)

Marmaduke - similarly I accidentally knocked the button for a dryer in a disabled loo the other day and he totally freaked out - I was trying so hard to talk him round and messed up!

Haven't read whole thread but I didn't realise this was so common! Ds 3.9 hates hand dryers - pure physical stress reaction to them! We have managed to get over his general fear of public loos though over the last 6 months. The phobia coincided with him beginning potty training. At 1st we avoided them completely as it was summer and he could use a potty outside. But the HV advised a gradual desensitisation so decided to grit teeth and take him into the nicer public loos, at first carrying him in then gradually taking him in by the hand. Eventually he would use his own potty in there then we got a toodle loo and he uses that mostly now as well as standing up sometimes. Bit by bit it did improve, so there is hope. It just takes quite a while to do.. I was at breaking point with it, trying to deal with his toileting out and about as well as having his baby sister to deal with. So all sympathy and good luck.

I like the idea of starting a small people trend Jollydo. If you all buy the pink fluffy earmuffs, at least then we could spot each other...

Maybe we could start a campaign to ban handdryers in public loos too as well as the pink ear muffs trend!!

My ds now 6 has always had this problem. The problem only eased when he started school and decided by himself to start using the hand dryer in school - which isn't very noisy at all. He now uses public toilets but refuses to use the hand dryers. I nolonger pander to his fear and use the dryers myself while he puts his hands over his ears and stands in a corner!! He's stood hear reading this post & saying "I dont do that mum!!!"

Have made some progress with ds with this - the idea of putting his hands on his ears is working and he has now done two wees out in random toilets two days running - thank you whoever suggested this!

gah ! ds is ten and still hates the hand dryers

We carried a 'out of order' sign to blutack on to handdryers for this reason and then it passed.

Another good idea Luckylady!

The hand dryers should be removed from circulation as they are sooooo unhygenic..

always better to use paper towels!

We used to turn them off at the fuse switch , wherever we saw them.

DD1 is afraid of them too, but is getting better -through sheer force of will from her herself. She talks herself through the process now, and is able to cope with all but the really noisy ones.

The only thing I have done to try and address is (other than reassuring her etc) is to dry my hair with her in the room and make a game out of the air blowing in her face. I have been lucky that DD2 is very daring and laughs her head off at such games, so DD1 watches and then tries to join in as it looks like so much fun.

It is hard work though when they freak out - I have felt like grabbing people who are washing their hands and begging them not to use the drier - have not yet done this though!!

My dd1 used to be like that - we'd have to go outside whenever dh used a power drill, and hand dryers were right up there too. She did eventually outgrow her fears, but at nearly 9 years old still hates fireworks and will only watch them from inside the house.

Can empathise but not really help - DS used to be absolutely terrified of them - but DH "sorted" it somehow when DS was about 3.5. Trouble is, DH won't tell me how he did it - all I know is that DS has been fine ever since

Oh and even DH couldn't sort fireworks - but ear defenders (at my insistence, in spite of DH trying to tell me that DS had to "just get over it") have finally done that, and last fireworks we went to DS (now 5) said "wow, fireworks are really pretty - I never realised!"

Man my son is 10 and is still having a fear of handdryers i have tried every solution but nothing worked 🤔