In this week’s segment on Parenting, a mother expresses concern that her daughter is becoming excessively health-conscious.
The mother shared with Moncrieff, “My daughter has been extremely health-conscious lately. It all began during the COVID period, and even after the pandemic, her anxiety seems to have heightened.”
During their holiday last summer, the daughter insisted on wearing a mask on the plane, and during Christmas, she became visibly distressed when hand sanitizer was not readily available at home.
Living with the family is the girl’s grandmother, who has underlying health conditions that require extra care and attention.
“We’ve tried to reassure her that she doesn’t need to be as concerned as Granny,” the mother explained. “However, her fixation on following strict rules is escalating into obsessive behavior.”
Child psychotherapist Joanna Fortune observed that the parents are sending conflicting messages to their daughter regarding health and hygiene practices.
While expressing concern about the daughter’s obsessive tendencies, they also emphasize the importance of maintaining precautions due to their grandmother’s vulnerability.
Joanna highlighted the importance of certain measures like wearing a mask on flights and having hand sanitizer at home, indicating that these precautions are sensible.
She advised against confronting the daughter on these specific behaviors unless they are excessively pervasive, suggesting that having hand sanitizer at home for visitors due to the grandmother’s health condition is reasonable.
Balancing Health and Enjoyment
Joanna acknowledged that if the daughter’s health concerns start overshadowing her enjoyment of life, a conversation is necessary.
Sitting down with her, the parents should communicate that excessive worry about sickness could detract from the joys of life.
She recommended that the daughter might benefit from speaking with a professional to help manage her anxieties and understand the necessity of precautions for her grandmother without letting it consume her.
Depending on the daughter’s age and receptiveness, Joanna proposed play therapy and increased sensory activities to alleviate her anxiety levels.