2 y/o waiting an autism assessment has suddenly became terrified of the bath

[Lunardreams]

Hello,

Just looking for some advice and support. My son used to love his baths, he even used to pull me towards the bathroom and want a bath several times a day. In the last month he has became terrified of the bath, to the point he is standing up and screaming. I feel really sorry for him. He was poorly a wee while ago and I used the shower head to wash the soap out of his hair to keep the water off of his face. Ever since he hates his baths. I've tried sensory lighting, toys, covering the shower with the shower curtain, being calm and reassuring him he is safe. My son is 26 months and is currently not talking or babbling so it's difficult to know why he is so scared, my only guess is the shower.

Anyone else experienced anything similar or have any advice? Many thanks xx

My DS had a really on-off relationship with the bath at that age. We're ok with baths for now - but whether it's down to what I've done or he's just decided himself I don't know.

Essentially I did everything you've tried, with the addition of cartoons (playing Raa Raa on my phone, propped up on the bathroom windowsill) and reading his favourite stories in the bathroom whether he was in the bath or just next to it. And then once he's in having some routine games we played together that he could look forward to (me ducking out of view and popping up over the side of the bath to yell "Baghera!!!" like Baloo over the cliff edge in the Jungle Book got him laughing and that's been a bath ritual ever since!)

I think a key part of it was just continuing to offer him the opportunity to get in, offering new or different incentives if the old ones stopped working, but never forcing him so that it didn't turn into a battleground, and more importantly that I wasn't subjecting him to sensory stimulation that was actually distressing for him.

I've never got to the bottom of whether it was strictly a sensory issue that could have been fixed for him (changing the lights, muffling sound or whatever) or if it was just the whole palaver of getting in the bath, but he's loving it again.

Hopefully this phase passes as quickly and mysteriously for you as it did for us!

We had this. It was like a mini phobia created. Thing is he loves water play so I started doing that in the day time and then used his bathtub to do the water play (without putting him in it and OUTSIDE of the bathroom area) so removed all associations with bathtime. Then, when he felt more relaxed I encouraged him to get in with nappy on so he could splash more which he did. When he realised it was safe he went back to his baths

I had this aged 26 months with my daughter. HV said not to bath her for two weeks (flannel washed) then try it. It worked.