Hand washing

My 7 year old son cannot stand washing his hands, particularly with soap. I've tried liquid,solid and foam soap, but he can't tolerate anything. I can't bear the battles and upset any more. What can I try?




He also really stresses out over wiping his bottom. I think he's fearful of getting anything on his hands. Any tips would be gratefully received.



Comments for Hand washing

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Jan 18, 2023
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starstarstarstar 		Can’t stand feeling clean!!!
by: Anonymous

I hate washing my hands because it isn’t actually washing them. I like that. it’s the clean feeling afterwards, and that isn’t over right away, it bothers me until I can get dirty again. I can’t sleep after taking a bath either, I just can’t stand feeling clean. And lotion is my worst enemy, feeling slightly moisturized from the soap is part of why I hate it.

I use hand sanitizer fine but my mom likes to say that it isn’t good enough and try to force me to wash. Then I get upset and my dad overhears and thinks I’m being defiant and I end up in trouble. I only wash my hands if I have actually touched poop, not just maybe through toilet paper. Or I have cookie dough or slime on my hands. I only shower if I’m incredibly sweaty. I love getting wet and messy it’s feeling clean that’s the problem. I like to feel rough, dirty, and natural!
Mar 06, 2020
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starstarstarstarstar 		Adult SPD?
by: Anonymous

I too dislike washing my hands. If it is liquid soap, I can't do it without a wave of nausea and anxiety. I have a deep aversion to using soap that others have touched, and its almost impossible to bring myself to wash my hands in public bathrooms. However, I am fine to use my own bar of soap that I've bought and no-one else has used.

I'm 27. The sight and sound of someone else washing their hands makes me want to gag and run out of the room. The smell of shampooed hair or perfume or spray deodorant seems unbearably strong to me and makes me feel sick. It's always been this way. I have always been sensitive to textures and sounds. Velvet makes me feel like I can't breathe. Lights always seem too bright.

Is this SPD or autism or something do you think? Any serious advice very appreciated. Please don't judge.
May 24, 2019
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Hand washing
by: Anonymous

I remember it starting in the first grade for me. At first I thought it was the brown paper towels that made my hands feel icky. Then I thought maybe it was the pink soap. No matter what, every time I washed my hands they would feel so icky that it made me miserable for hours so I avoided it all costs. Then I used lotion and it made my hands feel better.

To this day, I'm 38 now, I simply cannot get my palms wet without having lotion to rub in immediately afterwards. I also still occasionally suck my thumb. I guess all these years of being embarrassed and ashamed I now know it's been SPD the whole time and I'm seeing it play out again with my 4 year old.
Jan 09, 2016
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		my 11yr old
by: Anonymous

My son has a diagnosis of Asperger's, Anxiety, and non specified paranoia. He has the same issues your son presents. Thank you, I will be asking his psychiatrist for an SPD assessment.
Dec 05, 2015
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		hygiene
by: Anonymous

Thank you so much for your comment. We've briefly tried hand sanitizer, but he hated it. I suppose we could try again given what you say about it disappearing in 30 seconds - maybe we'd be able to persuade him that it's worth trying.

Do you mind me asking - I don't want to force him to do anything that upsets him, but at the same time, I feel that hand hygiene is really important. He's a small boy, with the kind of things you'd find on any small boy's hands! How do you feel about this?

Many thanks in advance

Cari
Dec 04, 2015
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Washing Hands
by: Anonymous

I'm 20 and this reminds me very much of me as a child. More than anything, I hated to wash my hands. I still don't usually wash my hands unless I'm in a public place and feel the pressure to conform. I also really, really, really hate washing my face. I hate the smell of soaps and candles, so I have an unscented soap in my bathroom currently which I rarely use unless I cook something or plan to.

Can you get him to try some hand sanitizer? It's a lot to work with at first, but it evaporates in 30 seconds if he rubs his hands together.

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