My little girl is 3 and 1/2. She has been fully potty trained for about 5 months. Just recently she has become afraid of automatic flush pottys. One flushed before she was ready about 3-4 weeks ago and scared her. Now she is scared of all public toilets even the normal kind. And not just a little frightened...terrified. She's a really sweet girl and isn't just trying to get her way. It's an all out phobia. I was so upset the other night out at dinner that I just let her go in the grass in the back of the restaurant :o(. I don't know what to do. Any suggestions?
2007-07-08 09:32:04 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Toddler & Preschooler
Yes, we had the same thing happen with both our kids. The automatic flush toilets are ridiculous because they scare all the little ones!
They had them at one of the preschools in town and the parents there asked for the automatic feature to be turned off as all the little guys started peeing their pants because they were too afraid to go to the bathroom!
We ended up taking a potty with us...no kidding...when we went anywhere. It's a nuisance but it's better than terrifying the child. Eventually we were able to get the kids to sit on the big toilet again, using a child seat that goes on the adult one.
Another thing we did was at home, we'd get our daughter (who was the scaredest), to flush the toilet while she was sitting on it. It wasted water, yes, but it got her used to the sensation and sound while she was sitting there.(But maybe don't do that right away...or your little girl might get scared of her own toilet.)
Eventually we talked her into sitting on a public toilet with the child seat on top but we brought along a little keyboard that played music. She got to play the music while the toilet flushed. It took literally months, but finally she got over the fear.
Just take a potty with you, if you have to and if there is a handicapped stall, put the potty down in there, while you sit on the big toilet. That way maybe she'll get over the sound while having the comfort of her own potty...and some privacy from anyone else in the bathroom.
She'll come around in time. Poor little girl.
2007-07-08 09:46:00 · answer #1 · answered by GeriGeri 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have a 4 yr old boy, and he doesn't like the automatic flushers either. He's afraid that they'll flush while he's going, and he's afraid that the flush will be too loud, and he wouldn't be able to hold his ears while he was trying to go potty. His ears are a little sensitive to loud noises, so that's his thing. Last year we also had a little problem w/ public toilets that didnt' have the whole toilet seat there ( the missing middle part), he wouldn't sit down to have a BM while we were on vacation, camping no less! That was fun! So good luck w/ your daughter, I'm sure she'll get over it soon. ( I hope)
2007-07-08 09:49:34 · answer #2 · answered by Moody 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't blame her. Those stupid automatic flushes have caught me off guard a few times too. What I do to avoid this with my little girl, I put a piece of toilet paper over the sensor so it will not flush till she is done. Then I let her know that I am going to flush so she can hold her ears. She doesn't like the noise :). Maybe you can try this with your little girl. Good luck! I hope you can find a way to calm her.
2007-07-08 09:44:34 · answer #3 · answered by Smoodgee 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i still am!!!! seriously...i dont like to use portajohns, or bathrooms at other people's houses....i dont know why.
2007-07-08 09:39:20 · answer #4 · answered by >wonder whats next< 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋