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My Child is Suddenly Crying in the Bath: Desensitizing Baths, Doctors Visits and Haircuts with Michelle C.

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Increase Talking &
Decrease Tantrums

in Young Children with

Autism &/or Speech Delays

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In case you missed it, last week we featured a rebroadcast all about desensitization where I talk about the very simple yet important steps to pairing and repairing important self-care and medical procedures. In this follow up, Michelle C. joins me to discuss her experience with desensitization and her daughter Elena. Michelle has been featured on two previous podcasts as well as her daughter’s story has been featured in several chapters of the Turn Autism Around book.

Baby Hates Bathtime

When a child who once loved and looked forward to bathtime as a part of their nightly routine begins crying and refusing bathtime, something has obviously become unpaired. Michelle racked her brain for what could have happened… hot water? a fall? Something in the bathroom scaring her? Turns out being held down for an MRI triggered unpairing of the bathtime. Forcing a child to do ANYTHING even necessary medical procedures can cause unpairing and problem behaviors for a variety of daily tasks. So Michelle got to work over one to two weeks, repairing bath time using my procedures and slowly reintroducing a typical bath. Now Elena is happy in the bath again and even requesting a longer bath time. Every child’s steps to repairing an activity like this will differ but you can find out what Michelle did in chapter 13 of the Turn Autism Around book and inside this episode.

Going to the Doctor

Elena is now 4 almost 5 years old but nearing the time of her autism diagnosis at age 2, Michelle experienced extreme hardship at the doctor or dentist with her daughter. Like many parents, she would just force the procedure and get through it, but with the tools from our course and community, she learned how to get both her children, even her typically developing now two-year-old, to tolerate these important medical visits. Through using my procedures of assessing, planning, and practicing each visit her children know what to expect at any medical procedure or visit they may need to encounter.

Helping a Highly Sensitive Child to Desensitize

If you have a highly sensitive child, a child with autism, or even a typically developing child it is not too early to start desensitizing certain procedures. Your child does not have to cry, kick, or scream at every appointment even if they are an infant or toddler. Just because you can hold them down now, does not mean you should. One day your infant or toddler will grow up and many times be larger, taller, and stronger than the adults around them. By desensitizing them now, you are giving them the tools and skills to tolerate necessary activities in the future when they are too big to be forced.

I hope you found these anecdotal, social stories from Michelle C. helpful in this overview of desensitization. Be sure to check out the links discussed in today’s episode for more information. As well as to find us, follow us, and comment, like, and share, to get the word out on social media.

My Child is Suddenly Crying in the Bath: Desensitizing Baths, Doctors Visits and Haircuts with Michelle C.

Michelle on the Turn Autism Around Podcast

Michelle is a Michigan mother of 2 girls, 2 and 3 (almost 4 years of age). Her oldest was diagnosed with autism at 23 months of age by a pediatric neurologist. After 2 years of using Mary’s strategies at home, that same neurologist is talking about reversing that diagnosis. She was a secondary school teacher for about 7 years and her husband is a police officer.

You’ll Learn

  • How to help my toddler who hates bath time.
  • How to help a highly sensitive child to desensitize to a variety of situations.
  • How to practice going to the doctor, dentist, and other important procedures.
  • Desensitizing procedures for necessary activities.
  • Why holding down and crying and unpair certain procedures.
  • Should you avoid certain procedures unless it’s an emergency?
  • Why you should never push a child to cry at the doctor or dentists.
  • Can completely unrelated activities unpair other procedures?
  • Why is desensitization important to start at a young age?

Resources

Free Workshop

Increase Talking &
Decrease Tantrums

in Young Children with

Autism &/or Speech Delays

Register for Free Training