Emma is six and terrified of water. She refuses to even go near pools, lakes, the beach, and will not even take a bath. When Emma was 4 years old, the family attended a pool party where another child accidentally pushed her in.
Although her father promptly rescued her, she spent the next 30 minutes crying and shaking. Shortly after this incident, Emma started fearing water. When her parents try to reassure her and promise her rewards for going near a swimming pool, she screams, cries, and clings to whoever is nearby. Emma’s parents have just about given up trying to get her to go near water. Going out fishing on the lake in the family speedboat, something the whole family used to enjoy is now impossible with Emma. They can’t even join their family for summer weekends at the beach as Emma refuses to exit the car. Even bathing has become so hard, that the family simply washes Emma with a bowl and sponge just to avoid the tantrums that would otherwise occur. Emma’s parents recognize that things are not improving with age, and that Emma is now at risk of missing out on fun opportunities such as pool parties, beach camp, and more.