Not liking clothing changes and wants a fan in the winter

Seraph

Fri, Nov 13 2009, 1:32 am

http://imamother.com/forum/vie.....ight=
This thread reminded me of an issue with my son.
My son ended up in the hospital at 4 months old because he got very sick and my husband and I are sure that its in part because I didnt dress him warmly enough that winter...

And now my son doesnt want to sleep with warm stuff in the winter and wants a fan blowing directly on him when its cold out... I try turning the fan on but blowing above him and not on him to try to fool him, but it doesnt work... I try turning the fan off once he's sleeping, but he wakes up and says "On fan!!!" I just am worried that he'll get sick if I let him sleep with a fan blowing on him in the winter...
And he doesnt want a blanket on him most of the time either...
I'm just afraid he'll get sick!

And he doesnt want to get out of his day time clothes before bed, and then doesnt want to change from what he was wearing at night in the morning. Once I get him in pajamas (if I manage), he wants to wear them the whole next day... (He's worn a shirt 3 days in a row because of this... :-/)
If he had a daily bath, that would solve half the problem, but thats yet another battle with him so baths arent daily...

catonmylap

Fri, Nov 13 2009, 2:12 am

Having same issues with clothing changes. It's such a fight!!!

He loves baths though(as long as we don't wash his hair), but if he has a bath, then he wants to sleep in just a diaper, not bother with pjs. If he doesn't have a bath, he wants to sleep in his clothing. If he sleeps in his clothing, you still have to fight in the morning to change clothing... Some mornings he goes to gan barefoot (in the stroller) and shoe/socks only get put on when he gets there...

In terms of the blanket, I think that he'd grab it if he were cold. We have the blanket in the crib, but he only goes under it in the morning when he does't want to get up.. Whenever I check on him, he's not using a blanket.

I say hide the fan, take it away altogether..... I don't think he's hot, I think he's stubborn and being a weird toddler...(just like mine)...

Seraph

Fri, Nov 13 2009, 2:38 am

catonmylap wrote:

I tried taking away the fan but he won't sleep without it...

catonmylap

Fri, Nov 13 2009, 2:51 am

What about putting the fan on timer so it shuts off after 10-15 minutes, however long it takes for him to fall asleep?

And possibly exchange the fan for a blowing heating when it gets colder...

or find some other sort of "noise."

My son has this crib attachment (that has turned into one of the best things we ever got) that he presses every time he goes to sleep.

grace413

Fri, Nov 13 2009, 2:57 am

" A sweater is something you put on when your mother is cold" - A famous quote from I don't know where.

Everybody is comfortable at a different temperature. I'm not a medical professional but I don't think just being cold causes disease - except hypothermia, which I don't think we have to worry about here.

These are common toddler power struggles and if your kids are insistent, you are fighting a losing battle and you will both be unhappy. Some kids are very resistant to change and transition. Seraph, you have a new baby; this is enough change for your son to cope with. He's home with you, so what if he wears the same clothes; and kol hakavod for not being uptight about him not having a bath every day.

Try putting the fan on low. We sleep with a fan and got so used to it that it's hard for us to sleep without it.

If he has a blanket available and he's cold, he'll wake up and cover himself. I'm assuming that he doesn't have any underlying medical problems, compromised immune system etc.

I raised two stubborn toddlers who are now two stubborn teenagers. We lived in Chicago when they were toddlers and I gave up on trying to put coats on them when it was just in and out of the car and only insisted for the 5 minute walk to shul on Shabbos when it was freezing.

HindaRochel

Fri, Nov 13 2009, 2:58 am

unless his temperature is sinking below normal, it is better to be cold than hot. He will not get sick from the cold.

If he wants a fan blowing on him, he just might need a breeze to feel comfortable. Can you place a heater behind the fan? That way the air would be warm.

How well can he talk? Did you ask him why he doesn't want to change his clothes? Perhaps he would be willing to change under a poncho or something; I would use fleece, cut a small hole just big enough for his head, then have him change under that.

Seraph

Fri, Nov 13 2009, 3:05 am

HindaRochel wrote:

He can talk well, but I dont think he knows how to answer "why" questions yet...

Seraph

Fri, Nov 13 2009, 3:06 am

grace413 wrote:

Being cold compromises your immune system, making you more likely to catch any bugs that can be floating around...

HindaRochel

Fri, Nov 13 2009, 3:27 am

Seraph wrote:

grace413 wrote:

Being cold compromises your immune system, making you more likely to catch any bugs that can be floating around...

The cold does not compromise your immune system. If your immune system is already weak your health may be compromised by the cold, but you aren't going to get sick from the cold.

Quote:

Does Cold Weather Cause Colds?

"Put a coat on! You'll catch your death of cold!"

Sound familiar? Folklore and worried mothers have for centuries assured us that playing outside with damp hair and summer shorts will surely be the end of us. Sorry, Mom, science said I could. There is no conclusive evidence that cold temperature increases our chances of catching one of the 200-plus viruses that cause the infection. Imagine the chicken soup sales in Greenland if it did.

Colds spread when you blow, wipe or sneeze the virus from your nose to another [Tip: Wash your hands!]. Although a weakened immune system will increase the virus's chance of survival, temperature doesn't affect immune system strength. The common cold is commonest in winter because the harsh weather prompts people to stay indoors, where ventilation is restricted and proximity to infected friends and family members is increased.

Live Science

Now it is true a baby up until a certain age can't regulate their temperature that well and so is more susceptible to the cold, but one's immune system is not compromised by the cold.

shabri

Fri, Nov 13 2009, 3:40 am

Can you move the fan further away? So its pointed to him but not directly on him?

I had the opposite issue. My 2 yr old refused to have the fan on this summer when it was so HOT in the room. I think its prob a 2 thing. By the way, she just went from LOVING the bath to refusing to bathe, b"h at least that happened when it got a little cooler

Seraph

Fri, Nov 13 2009, 4:17 am

shabri wrote:

We put the fan as far from him as we could... :-/

HindaRochel

Fri, Nov 13 2009, 4:27 am

You can subscribe to any belief you want, but facts are facts.
You could 1) try and show your husband the article and perhaps he will review his beliefs.
2) accept that the cold isn't going to harm your child but at the same to accept that your husband will believe it will harm your child in terms of making him sick, and find a way to keep your husband hahppy (he isn't cold, here is the evidence) and your son happy.

If your son doesn't care about the temperature of the wind blowing on him, I would go for the warm heat blower, just make sure it isn't too warm.

If he doesn't like to be changed out of his clothes, normally because the child doesn't like the sudden change in temperature, try changing him under something, or warming his clothes up in the dryer for a few minutes before putting them on, or even warming them in the oven, low temp for a minute or two.

Seraph

Fri, Nov 13 2009, 4:48 am

HindaRochel wrote:

I've come to be of that belief as well based on experience with my husband and kids. There are facts and there are opposite facts and I dont necessarily believe these scientific "facts" if my experience shows me otherwise.

Quote:

If your son doesn't care about the temperature of the wind blowing on him, I would go for the warm heat blower, just make sure it isn't too warm.

They're very expensive to run. even more expensive than a fan. and thats yet another reason why I dont want a fan on...

HindaRochel

Fri, Nov 13 2009, 4:59 am

There really aren't a whole lot of options. If you are unwilling to use a heat blower, and unwilling to try and change him underneath some sort of poncho, or to try and warm his clothes before putting them on or some combination of the two, or warm the room up so that he doesn't feel chilled when taking his clothes off then you are just going to have to well then you are going to have to force him to change his clothes, take away the fan and deal with his crying.

Seraph

Fri, Nov 13 2009, 5:03 am

HindaRochel wrote:

I didnt mention anything about not willing to heat his clothes. thats a good idea.
I just said no blow heater preferably...

HindaRochel

Fri, Nov 13 2009, 5:08 am

So try to warm his clothes first and get his room, or the room where you are going to change him, nice and warm. If you object, because of cost, the blow heater, and are afraid of the fan then you are just going to have to let him fuss.

you can also try and put the fan in front of or behind the heater; in either case the warmth will get blown on to your son.

How are you planing to heat the room in the first place?

Seraph

Fri, Nov 13 2009, 5:23 am

HindaRochel wrote:

At the moment it doesnt need a heater, just a nice blanket and warm pajamas, and even that not always. When a heater becomes necessary, radiators.