My 17 month ols son is afraid of water and i have tried everything to fix it he screams till he pucks any ideas would be great.

Proud - posted on 01/21/2012

Way to go Ethan :)

Suzie - posted on 01/21/2012

so ladies i have to say tonight was amazing i sat in an tube full of toys with out water for 30 mintues we played then i started the water and he clung to mom scaried till i started this game were we through the rubber duck in the water whhile he sat on my lap out of the water then he got his feet in then his legs all the way to his tummy as wthe water filled the tub he did not notice then he relised he was in water cried for a secnd looked at me then started playing agin i eased him slowley to were he was in the tube all by him self and sat there in a towle and whached him for an hour and he olny cried agin when i took him out

i am so proud of my little Ethan

Proud - posted on 01/19/2012

My 14 month old was the same way...screaming till she threw up as soon as I put her in the tub.



I put on some bath suit bottoms and got in the tub with her and gave her a cup to pour water and a rubber ducky and now she doesn't want to get out.

Suzie - posted on 01/19/2012

thanks ladies we are on month five of this and in Montana we dont have a lot of water play chances right now he went in to a screaming fit when he step on water on the kichen floor tonight (melted snow of my husband shoes) he cried for an hour and stared at the water on the floor i think we will have wash cloth baths for a while.

Morgan - posted on 01/19/2012

Ugh my daughter did the same thing, all of a sudden she was terrified of the tub, shower even pools.

For us we just eased her back into it and I mean eased it took her almost a year to sit down in the tup again, we mostly used toys and started with just a bit of water on the bottom and a line of toys across the side, then as soon as you pop him in he should focus on the toys... It may take a week it may take a year like it did for me but I don't think forcing him will help. Reassure him constantly and just keep at it :) good luck!

Izabela - posted on 01/19/2012

OMG! I went over the same thing when my daughter was one. She always loved bath time and all of a sudden she looked so afraid of water, I was so sure that nothing bad hadn't happen, so I had an idea of getting the tub empty with a few toys and play with her so she could get in and out to make sure everything was ok and that wasn't anything to be afraid of. aparently that worked because after a few days she wasn't afraid anymore. Try That, it may work! good luck!

MeMe - Raises Her Hand (-_-) (Mommy Of A Toddler And Teen) - posted on 01/19/2012

Another thing I have read and actually done myself is buying the bathtub crayons. They can draw all over the walls and tub and it washes right off....He may LOVE that.... Good Luck!

MeMe - Raises Her Hand (-_-) (Mommy Of A Toddler And Teen) - posted on 01/19/2012

Read this - it may help.. ;)



Penelope Leach

child psychologist

You can't stop a child from being afraid by frightening her even more, so give up trying to get her into the bathtub and just wash her instead.



We don't know what scared her away from the baths she used to love (it's common for babies and toddlers to be scared that they might be swept down the drain with the water because their sense of scale isn't developed enough for them to realize that's impossible), but whenever a child develops a fear, it's crucial to accept it. It may not seem reasonable to you, but what does reason have to do with fear? You may not share her fear, but you're not the one who's feeling it.



If you're tempted to scoff at her aversion to baths, think about your own fears and ask yourself whether they're all "reasonable" and how you'd feel if you were forced to confront the things that scare you. Do you, for example, like large spiders? If not, how would you feel if someone made you hold one?



It's helpful to tell your toddler when there's (truthfully) nothing to fear, but it isn't helpful to tell her not to be afraid. Saying "The tub is perfectly safe, but I can see it frightens you, so let's just use the sink for the moment," shows your child that you're on her side. Saying "There's nothing to be frightened of, you silly girl," on the other hand, offers her neither reassurance nor support.



Most toddler fears pass as quickly as they arrive, especially if they're handled tactfully. You may be able to speed this one on its way with lots of water fun that has nothing to do with baths and bathrooms. If your daughter still loves her Mommy-and-me swim class or enjoys splashing around in a wading pool, she'll soon come back to bathing, especially if the first few times you put only a few inches of water in the tub and get in with her. If she can't face the wading pool, either, offer her a plastic dishpan and lots of cups to fill and empty.



Of course change the hers to be hims.... ;)

Suzie - posted on 01/19/2012

ladies he screams at the site of the water even in the shower playing peack boo

Elfrieda - posted on 01/19/2012

Oh, brainwave!



Does he love lightswitches? Show him how the faucet works and let him turn it on and off and get him excited that water is coming out, yay water!



Of course, you might be intentionally keeping that knowledge from him. I know I have been keeping my son in the dark about how to open doors. I just don't want him to know! :)

Elfrieda - posted on 01/19/2012

1) when your husband is taking a shower, play peek-a-boo with him behind the curtain by popping your son's head into the shower and out again.

2) make a puddle at the bottom of the tub or shower and have your (fully clothed) son slap it to make splashes.

3) take him into the shower with you and hold him so he's not scared, or "fly" him under the water (not his head) and out again, doing a quick rinse so he's sort of clean but doesn't have to be too scared.

4) Let him stand on a chair beside you while you wash the dishes. I'm not sure if he's old enough, but for my son (25 months) I'm sure it would work to give some toys a "bath" to get the idea.



That's all I got. :) I hope you figure something out.

Erin - posted on 01/19/2012

My suggestion is to start "small." You get into something you don't mind wet, strip him down and get into the tub with a bucket of water. Let him splash it himself, play with a boat or two, and just get used to the idea that water can be fun. Then when it's warm out, move the game outside using a small pool with just a couple of inches of water. Or start by filling the tub with just a little water with you still getting in with your son. Eventually ease yourself out of the water while still staying close to comfort if need be. To bathe him in the meantime, you may have to do "sponge" baths near the sink.