When it comes to babies, “…bathing a couple of times a week is often enough,” according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Until then, you can use washcloths, warm water, and a little mild soap to get their face, hands, and diaper area clean. We promise: This fear will eventually pass, and your child will want to bathe again. While you may not understand it, the fear your child is feeling is real, which is why you don’t want to force them to get in the tub. If they have a phobia of being pulled down the drain, try unplugging the drain and have them observe how their rubber ducky stays in the bath even when the water disappears-or simply wait to drain the bath until after they’ve gone to sleep. For example, if your child reacts fearfully when you’re filling the tub, the sound of rushing water may be the culprit. Identifying the source of the fear can help you find ways to address the issue.
Try to Uncover the “Why” Behind Your Toddler’s Phobia You’ll splash together again! Here’s how to manage this period of time with positivity (and keep your kid clean, too). Your child is not experiencing a major anxiety disorder.
Bath-time fears can last weeks or even months, leaving many parents wondering if they’re raising a lifelong landlubber.įear not: This too shall pass. That’s why it’s important to treat the fear of bathing with empathy and care, even though this can be a challenging behavior to work through. Their brains are literally lighting up with new information.Īs a result, things like toilet flushes, thunder, doctors’ medical equipment, and drains that suck all the water away can be overwhelming to your child and sound and appear, well, terrifying. There’s a reason for that: During these years of rapid brain growth, toddlers develop what seems like a hyperawareness of their surroundings. And then one day, seemingly out of nowhere, they refuse to go anywhere near the tub: “No bath! No, no, no, no, no!”Ī fear of bathing (called ablutophobia) and water, it turns out, is a very common toddler phobia, and usually shows up around ages 1-2. Photo by Rob and Julia Campbell / Stocksy Your little water baby absolutely loves the bath, every day gladly bounding into the tub and splashing and playing with glee.
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