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Washing dd's hair a huge battle. Anyone else?

CleoKittyCleoKitty member
in Parenting

Dd flips the eff out everytime we wash her hair. She cannot tolerate a single drop of water anywhere on her face or ears. Even a couple of drops on her forehead causes her to start hyperventilating.

We've tried baths and showers. We've tried special cups to pour water, washclothes over her eyes, every single possible thing we can imagine. It doesn't matter. Just the mention of needing to get her head wet sets her into a tizzy. 

Her body gets stiff and she becomes combative. Then she starts to dry heave and gag. To make matters worse she seems to have inherited my greasy hair and she tends to get food in her hair, so she really can't go more than 2-3 days without washing. 

Anyone else have a child that seems to have a true phobia of hair washing? Have you found anything that helps? Did they eventually outgrow it? 

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Re: Washing dd's hair a huge battle. Anyone else?

  • Jodi&JoeJodi&Joe

    I HATED having my hair washed as a kid.  Which, IMO, made no sense since I LOVED swimming.  Anyway, maybe get her one of those mini sized sprayers that you can attach and let HER be in control of washing it???

    I used to get charlie horses in my neck ALL.THE.TIME because my mom would wash my hair and I would scrunch up because I hated it so much. 

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  • shopgirl78shopgirl78 member
    DD was like that and so was DS1 but not as bad.  She outgrew and now does it all on her own.   When she was little and afraid, I washed it the minimum- 1 time per 1-2 weeks (plus it took her FORVER to get hair!!!) 

    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
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  • StarryNight39StarryNight39
    Ella is exactly like that. The only thing that semi calms her down is that I have to get in the shower, hold her and wash her hair. She still screams, but it gets done.
    image
    {Ava 5.16.06} {Ella 12.29.07} {Drew 2.9.10}
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  • veloelleveloelle member
    Could you play "beauty shop" and wash her hair in the sink like at a salon? Get a chair high enough. That way water on her face is minimized.
    DD 7.28.06 * DS 3.29.10
    image

    Christmas 2011
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  • hikerbethhikerbeth member

    DD went through a phase shortly before she was 3 where she couldn't stand baths (and I think it was the hair washing that led to it).  She usually loved her baths and swimming so it was really strange.

    I eased her back into it with "practice baths."  I just let her kneel in a few inches of water where I scrubbed her body and didn't wash her hair so she could get to liking the bath again.

    She just turned 5 and she can sort-of tolerate drips of water on her face now. . . it's really taken this long.  I was just extremely careful before not to get any drips of water on her face.

    My line all along was that getting washed is not optional so she had to help me find a good solution for it.

    imageimage Ashley Sawtelle Photography
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  • JenninMAJenninMA member
    We have this problem. She used to be really good about tipping her head back so I could rinse the shampoo out, but lately she totally fights it and I end up holding a facecloth over her face and just dumping the water over her head to get through it. No matter how many times or ways I try to explain it would be much easier if she'd just tip her head back, she still fights it.
    Nadia Irene 8/13/07 Reid Owen 8/18/09
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  • jettagurljettagurl member
    Not sure if this will work...but...my mom used to lie (lay?) me on the kitchen counter on my back with my head over the sink. She turned the water on barely, then used the sprayer (little pressure) to wash it.  I hated anything that had something remotely to do with my hair, but I remember this bing okay. 
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  • kellnbrikellnbri

    Both my kids used to be like that and then I found this miracle thing at one of those As seen on TV stores.  It was $10 and the best money I ever spent!  I just found it on Amazon.

    image 

    As long as it is pressed against their head it keeps the water off their face and out of their ears.  I have my kids hold their head back too to keep the soapy water from pooling at the front.  It's called the Lil Rinser Splashguard

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  • JenninMAJenninMA member
    I am ordering this now.
    Nadia Irene 8/13/07 Reid Owen 8/18/09
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  • Jamaica_BrideJamaica_Bride

    My sister was like this- I totally remember my mum had her lay on the counter, hold my sister's head in her hand then wash her hair in the sink with the sprayer.


    ~Lisa
    Mum to Owen and Lucas Daisypath Wedding tickers>
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  • jen5-03jen5-03 member
    It's always a battle. I sometimes find a trick that makes hairwashing ok for a little while, but when the novelty of it wears off it's back to tears and screaming. Love the lay on the counter trick, maybe I'll try that.
    - Jena
    image
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