gemgems77 Report post Posted January 11, 2009 my son has loved baths from a early age and when he was having a bad day this is what use to help calm him down ..about 6 mths ago he started to put his head under the bath and not come up for a long period (as if he forgot he had to breath )of course when he did he was chocking and gasping for breath ,as time went on he was doing it with almost every bath and then did do it with every bath ,we now do not let him have baths but only showers which he still enjoys ,but i got a shower cap a few weeks ago (i know a old fuddy duddy)and left it in the shower not thinking anything to it ,malachy had a shower in our en suite and i was tiding my bedroom and i popped my head round to see wheather he was ok to see he had filled up the shower cap with water and put it over his face i shouted at him and then pulled it off and agian he was gasping for breath any ideas why he was doing this ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pookie170 Report post Posted January 12, 2009 (edited) It may well be that he enjoys the sensation that accompanies being short of air- this might sound wrong, but you know how, if you stand too quickly, you can get a head-rush? I love that feeling, I find it enjoyable. Now, if memory serves, last time I held my breath too long, that same head rush happened...... Might that be the case with Malachy? (Nice name, btw! I seem to favour biblical names!!) It might be that the feeling of control he gets from holding his breath also appeals greatly- this is something a lot of kids experiment with and enjoy. Seems bizarre to us oldies, but hey ho! Again, another reason some kids do this is for attention- I used to babysit a wee girl who did this when she didn't get her own way, to the point that she had been known to pass out! As soon as she fainted though, she resumed breathing. Everyone panics, naturally, and she got tons of hugs and attention when she came round. There were other issues involved that I can't go into, but it's not unknown for kids to do this. I don't think the latter is applicable in Malachy's case, as he's doing this when he's alone... but I think it might be that he's deriving pleasure from the oxygen deprivation. I can see why you're worried though..... I wonder if he would be deterred from doing this if you calmly pulled him out of the water, reminded him that it's not allowed and removed the plug/turned off the shower when he starts? If he comes to associate his actions with the end of bathtime fun, he might stop? (I hasten to add, I have no idea as to what level your lad would understand this or not, it's just a thought!) Edited January 12, 2009 by pookie170 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shaz71 Report post Posted January 12, 2009 It may well be that he enjoys the sensation that accompanies being short of air- this might sound wrong, but you know how, if you stand too quickly, you can get a head-rush? I love that feeling, I find it enjoyable. Now, if memory serves, last time I held my breath too long, that same head rush happened...... Might that be the case with Malachy? (Nice name, btw! I seem to favour biblical names!!) It might be that the feeling of control he gets from holding his breath also appeals greatly- this is something a lot of kids experiment with and enjoy. Seems bizarre to us oldies, but hey ho! Again, another reason some kids do this is for attention- I used to babysit a wee girl who did this when she didn't get her own way, to the point that she had been known to pass out! As soon as she fainted though, she resumed breathing. Everyone panics, naturally, and she got tons of hugs and attention when she came round. There were other issues involved that I can't go into, but it's not unknown for kids to do this. I don't think the latter is applicable in Malachy's case, as he's doing this when he's alone... but I think it might be that he's deriving pleasure from the oxygen deprivation. I can see why you're worried though..... I wonder if he would be deterred from doing this if you calmly pulled him out of the water, reminded him that it's not allowed and removed the plug/turned off the shower when he starts? If he comes to associate his actions with the end of bathtime fun, he might stop? (I hasten to add, I have no idea as to what level your lad would understand this or not, it's just a thought!) Hi i am not asd but i love the feeling after sneezing that is like a dizzy sesation, it may be a similar feeling for him, i don't know. Sharon x Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
