Hand driers

[meridian]

We are currently supporting a number of children with transition visits to the school adjacent to us, which are going well apart from one little boys fear of the Hand driers in the toilet area!

Just after some advice how to support this please

[thumperrabbit]

We also have this at our village/church hall setting quite a few of our children don't like them because of the noise - we actually switch ours off each day and use paper towels as it became so much of an issue.

 

no help what so ever but thought I'd just let you know, you're not the only one with the problem! :1b

[SueJ]

We prefer paper towels and switch the dryers off at our setting - there is some research that suggests that hand towels are more hygienic that dryers

 

http://www.nhs.uk/news/2013/06June/Pages/Paper-towels-may-be-more-hygienic-than-hand-dryers.aspx

[Beau]

My daughter has Aspergers and hated the noise of hand driers when she was little.

 

Does he have issues with noise elsewhere? If it is the noise then it may be that a pair of ear defenders may be beneficial for him.

[Susan]

Can you arrange for him to go into the toilet area alone and in a small group to get used to the noise.

What do his parents do about this?

[Melba]

We have driers and if children are worried we ask parents to play with child with a hair drier that makes the same noise.

 

We have considered turning ours off but they use them in the reception class next door and they are everywhere in the world so it does help for children to get used to them.

 

Mind you, sometimes the problem is that they won't leave them alone!

[Upsy Daisy]

I think you need to work out whether this is something he can work through or not. For some children with auditory processing issues the fear stems from the fact that the sound causes them pain. No amount of playing with them is going to get them used to that. However it could just be about the suddenness of such a loud noise and his inability to control it that's causing the fear and this would be more manageable through understanding how they work and being prepared for the noise.

My first move would be to ask the parents how they've been handling it because they will have come across this issue with him dozens of times in public toilets.