My Son Is Terrified of Taking a Bath

My suggestion would just to give him a sponge bath for a while. It's just a phase (one of a zillion to come). For his hair have someone help hold him over a sink to wash under running water.

After a week or two, try a tubby again. If you get the same result go back to sponges for another week or two.

I'd like to know how it goes.

Hi C., I have been going through the same thing with my 16 month old son. He used to love his tub time and then about a month ago I went to put him in and he grabbed my neck and would not let go. I have heard from other people that some kids go through a phase like this. I sure hope that it is a short phase. I hate seeing him get so upset. I have tried putting new toys in the tub and that does not work. I have had to take a shower with him just to get him clean. He does not like the shower much either. Let me know if you get any suggestions....

Hi C., I understand so much how you are feeling, like you want to do anything to fix this and you just don't know how. Especially at this age, b/c he cannot tell you what is making him so scared. All children go through so many different stages, and will love something one day and hate it the next. I think for some reason right now he is scared, and all you can do is deal and know that he will grow out of it. Maybe you can buy him a new toy for just the bath. When you bath him just hold him tight and talk in a very calm voice and tell him ooh, its nice, its okay mommy has you. Also just double check that he does not have a red bottom or a rash, you would prob know that but I just wanted to throw it out there, because that is sometimes painful when they sit in water. Well hope this helps, Take care

One of my boys did the same thing. We took one of those plastic storage tubs and filled it a small amount of water and let him play in it with his special bath toys with just a diaper on. (He was outside of the tub and played in it.) Then we got a bigger one and let him do the same thing. Then we got one that was so big (low sides) that if his toy went across the tub, he either had to climb in and get it or go around. Chris used to climb in and go right after them with out thinking about the water. Once he started doing that- I just grabbed a washcloth and scrubbed him while he played. Got to the point that if I put the tub and special bath toys out, he would just climb right into the middle so that he could play with all the toys and not have to reach for any of them. It helped that we gave him a new toy every so often to keep him interested. When the time was right, we moved the tub into the tub. Eventually, we changed him over to just playing in the tub with out the other one. It did take a while, but it was worth it compared to the fight. Seems he thought he would go down the drain or something like that.... anyway. I hope this helps. C.

I see you've gotten a bunch of suggestions - but another couldn't hurt! From the first bath of her life at 2-3 weeks to her 1st birthday, my daughter was TERRIFIED of bath time in the sink, baby tub, real tub - and also afraid of ocean, pools, etc. At other suggestions, we tried everything, but two things really seemed to help.

1. At non bath time, we placed bowls and buckets of varying sizes around the kitchen and let her splash around, just to get her comfortable sticking her hands in water.

2. My husband or I would get in the tub (WITHOUT her)with toys and bubbles and bathe. She would stand at the edge and watch us, play with us, but not get in. At around the 5th time, she decided she was comfortable to get in our laps, barely touching the water. We would then slowly ease her into the water and stop when she became uncomfortable.

And as everyone else said, this is a phase. He'll likely grow out of it, and soon. Good luck!

I had to put a blow up tub in my tub so that my son would take a bath. Does he have toys to play with in the tub. The bath crayons from crayola have worked really well for me. Good luck!

hi C., have you tried changing the temp of the water around a lil bit. also you could just talk to him before tubby time. say we are gonna have a fun tubby & maybe add some bubbles to play with before actually bathing him. just a thought. take care. C.

have you tried putting him the tub and letting the water run with out it filling up? over time slowly start letting the water fill little at a time...enough to cover the bottom and then stop when he's comfortable with that add a little more? I know my son was the same, he loved taking showers with us but a bath made him cry and cry.

good luck!

Hi! I had the same problem with son right around the same age. We started putting bubbles in the tub and let him play outside the tub with them. We did this for awhile and then he decided one day to get in the tub and play. He is 18 months old and now he screams to get out of the tub!!!! It is always something but it will pass. Hang in there.

Try bathing with him. It might ease his fears.

Hi C.~
I know you've gotten tons of responses to your request but I had to add one more because I was surprised that it didn't come up. Something I learned when my kids were little (they are now 26, 24, & 14) was that some kids develop a fear of going down the drain with the water. My daughter always loved her bath but my 2 sons (the younger kids) started showing terror at bath time about the same time as your little one. It was suggested to make a little game out of the water draining showing that the water goes down but the toys stay in the tub. This little tip worked wonders for me. It wasn't an overnight cure but within a few days it worked and we were back to screaming when it was time to get out!!! :)

Has he possibly accidentally been dipped in water that was too hot or too cold--that would explain it, but-- even if not, it is a common thing for little ones to be really afraid of the water. You really only need a couple of inches of lukewarm water to bathe him, and you can even do sponge baths for a little while until he gets more used to the idea. My son (ha, who is now almost 12 years old) was the same way and we just knew we were in for a scream fest every bath, so we just tried to get it overwith as quickly as possible. We tried the radio and kid music and nothing would calm him until he got out, and we would offer him a small treat as soon as it was over. best we could come up with! Anyway, now we have the opposite problem, he will spend an hour in the shower--doesn't get his hair very clean, so we don't really know what's going on in there, ha!

Sorry this is a bit scattered. Hope it helps to know that it is common and they do outgrow it. Best of luck.

i had the same problem i tryed putting toys in tryed bubbles but i seen that u have to start small then grow big first dont force him dont get mad because he screams but turn on the water in the sink let him feel it while he is doing that turn on the bath water but egnore it is going then put him on the floor and go over and play with the water while he watches then invite him to join then do this a couple of times then try getting more and more of his bodie in the water day after day it will take some time but this is what i had to do yea i know it is just easier to put them in the tub get them clean even if they scream but u know what if u dont work on that fear know soon or later u will have to take him swimming and he is going to be scared of that as well