Emetophobia question 😩

[Roxy1988]

My 20 month old is being looked after tomorrow by her grandparents but I just found out that their neighbours 3 year old who they looked after for a couple of hours yesterday has a sickness bug 😩 the little girl was playing with my daughters toys so i'm worried about her catching it! Do you think she will be safe :/ I am going away for the weekend and there is noone else to look after her until my partner finishes work. Any reassurance much appreciated 🙏

Sorry if this sounds harsh at all but it comes from a genuine experience of living with an emetophobic and the transformation in her - It's much better and fairer to those around you and your child to get proper help from the GP for your phobia and resulting anxiety than needing and seeking reassurance all the time. Worked wonders for my emetophobic daughter.

It's unlikely she'll catch it from her toys. Think of kids at nursery. When one gets a bug they don't all catch it. The ones most likely to catch it are the ones in the immediate vicinity when a child actually vomits.

I'm emetophobic too although a hell of a lot better than I used to be because having a small child forces you into exposure therapy.

I absolutely dread DD getting a bug and if I hear there's one going round it makes me nervous but she's now 5 and has had a few over the years and every single time I've coped better than I would ever imagine and have managed to care for her absolutely fine. I also don't catch every bug DD gets.

You go away for the weekend and enjoy yourself. Do not let this phobia get in the way of things.

@Lubeyboobyalt not at all, you are right! I am on the waiting list for some CBT therapy. It's actually a pretty new fear for me (since my dd caught her first sickness bug last year). This is the first time I have ever asked for some reassurance. I'm glad your daughter was able to get some help for it :)

@INeedNewShoes you are right it is unlikely! My dd is 20 months and has only had it once so I am hoping, like you, I will get better with the I inevitable exposure over the coming years. It's the anticipation I find the worse! I know I will cope fine when it next happens.

@Roxy1988 that's amazing, thats what my daughter had. Life changing

Just reassurance makes you feel better for say... 30 mins... an hour... maybe half a day then it all creeps back if you don't have the cbt kit to take yourself through it (keep practicing the stuff after your course has finished too) Good luck and all the best

Hi can I ask what sort of help/therapy your daughter received? It rules my life quite literally.

@lrosey it was cbt via nhs/gp - fair wait for it but its honestly been life changing. I got her a private 'top up' about a year later which is where we found out you need to keep practising the techniques even when everythings fine - and shes been fine ever since (about 3 years now since last therapy)

Can't they clean the toys?

Most toys go into mouths at this age.

Handwashing as well
Is critical.

I'm emetephobic so I get it.