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Child mental health

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Advice for a 4-year-old anxious about touching things and hand washing

2 replies

Shleepymummy · 16/04/2026 13:00

Any advice for helping a 4 year old who has developed this fear of touching things or things touching her hands. She then wants to wash her hands constantly. She is a thumb sucker so will keep her thumb out of the way of things as well to avoid it touching things before it goes in her mouth. We have tried talking it through with her, reassuring her- but it's just getting worse. Sometimes she doesn't notice it all and will touch things, especially when busy, other times it's constant and she will ask multiple times across an hour 'I touched that is it ok?' 'I touched the seatbelt is that ok? I touched my tights is that ok?.

just lost with how to handle this! Have asked the school if she's doing it to see if it's happening outside of home. She's never been good at school drop off, it was getting loads better but aster Easter break she's very upset again every morning and now with the hand washing and crying it's becoming a lot.

OP posts:
Gillthepill · 16/04/2026 13:04

Poor thing, you must be worried. What did the school say? It would be interesting to see if she is displaying the same behaviours there.

As she is only 4, I’d be inclined to contact the health visiting service and also her GP. There is obviously a high level of anxiety there causing this.

momz1 · 19/04/2026 04:48

This looks like anxiety or early OCD, not just a phase.
Stop repeated reassurance and limit hand washing with clear rules.
Get help from a child psychologist early before it gets stronger.

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