toddler with fear of the bath and hairwashing

[driedapricots]

hi
can anyone offer and advice to help my 2.2yr old DD like the bath again?! For some unknown reason she has developed an irrational fear of the bath and having her hairwashed..she's never liked hairwash but we've always managed with towels over her eyes etc etc (she wont wear any of those halo things...tried everything) perhaps she got some water in her eyes i don't know but anyway, for the last 2 weeks she screams at the mere mention of a bath..we've had to cut them right back but obviously she needs to have one once in a while..tonight she screamed so much she threw up.??!
i try and reassure her but she's not even hearing me when in such a state...please help!!

as my 8 month old DD has also started this irrational fear, having always been happy in the bath since birth...

It's heart-breaking isn't it when they get so upset...

xx

aw bless! My advice would be to cool off - she won't smell. Try lightsticks in the water, pictures on the ceiling etc. Will she go to the swimming baths?

My ds1 who is 2.6yrs has started this too. Whenever I mention the word bath, he cries and screams and tells me there's a bee in there
I cut back to a bath every other night and have put a reward chart up.
I've also got some bubbles (he loves bubbles), but nothing is making much of a difference.
Atm, I'm just holding and hugging him and not making him sit down, but it is hard to wash him.
I think tomorrow I might get in with him......

My DD2 hated the bath for a long time and didn't have one until she was over 12m.She wasn't filthy,we just washed her down with damp flannels and she was fine.I would leave it for a bit with your DD and let her calm down,but get in the bath yourself in front of her and chat to her,then gradually in a few weeks try and get her to get in with you.Toddlers do get these fears about things,something has triggered it and you may not ever know what.You could try talking it through by bathing a baby dolly with her and see what she says.
New bath toys might be a good incentive! They change like the weather at this age and this phase will pass !

My DS2 has ASD and he used to have a huge irrational fear of the bath. Hair washing is still a big no no. Not suggesting your DD has ASD, but we had an Occupational Thapist at his school who got us to do different things with him before we finally were able to get him to have a bath without sounding like he was being murdered (he has to bath with socks on now, hates being unclothed).
They included:
Bathing with mum or dad
Bubbles in the bath
No bubbles in the bath
Coloured water
Bathing with a swimming costume on
Lots of toys in the bath to distract away from getting washed
Getting into the bath with no water
Bathing during the day in natural light rather
Get them to bath a doll and make it fun
Paddling pool in the living room instead of bath
Bubble machine in the bath
Does your bathroom have a draught excluder or somethign that makes a noise when you're in there, could you turn it off

Lots of ideas there which I hope might give you some ideas on how to get your DD to enjoy bathtime more.

Oh, and don't mention the B word.

Not sure how relevant this is, but this is what we're up to atm;

My dd2 is 3.1 and loves the bath but HATES having her hair washed. I've only just started clamping down recently, and washing her hair every 2 or 3 weeks, which is always a disaster. I've tried everything and she still hates it, so I've just decided that this is the way things are and she'll have to scream.
If I put any shampoo on here hair she kust goes mad, so I rinse it whilst she is screaming and trying to get out of the bath. A joy. I'm guessing that she'll grow out of it one day, and in the meantime, her hair will be washed ever 2 or 3 weeks.
Ds, 10 months has just been traumatised in the bath having previously loved it, by my not responding anywhere near quickly enough when he fell over and went under water ! For the last week he has cried every time he gets in the bath, and won't sit down. Last night I had a bath with him, and after a while he had a great time. Tonight I stood him by the side of the bath leaning over playing with toys, then moved him to standing up in the bath playing with toys, but not sitting down. Theory is that he'll be enjoying it again in a week or so, but I'm a bit concerned that I've done lasting damage!
Good luck

DS went through a few phases of this. Have you tried getting in with her, DS loves this although its a bit of a pest when I couldn't be bothered.

We have more or less given up on hairwashing, just make sure it gets wet when he is in the bath and hopefully the Oilatum in the bath will help to keep it clean.

Also DS likes games, at the minute we aren't having bubble bath as his eczema has flared up but when we did a popular game was hunt the soap, where I would drop the soap into the bath and grab his foot or his hand and pretend I thought it was the soap ( lame I know but seems to do it for DS)

Like hellymelly though don't take it too seriously it is a phase and it will pass.

how about swimming? otherwise don't worry too much re baths, keep washing going obv but hair really doesn't need much.

i have pretty much given up with shampoo on ds but he is happy wallowing so hair gets a good rinse.

oh yes i get in bath too when i haven't had a shower already.

ah you wonderful lot..what quick responses..and lots of great ideas. thank you! i'll try them all and report back! i did laugh at silverymoon your little one saying there was a bee in there, that's so cute ;-)