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A mom is facing backlash online after posting a video of her sick toddler on the driveway, explaining that he wasn’t allowed inside the house because of his stomach virus – since she suffers from emetophobia.
For those who have never heard the term emetophobia, it is an extreme fear of vomiting. Most people don’t enjoy throwing up – or smelling, seeing, or hearing others do it. But for those who suffer from emetophobia, the fear goes much deeper.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, emetophobia is classified as a “specific phobia” in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. It is a mental health condition that can leave people “constantly worried about vomiting.”
What is emetophobia?
The Cleveland Clinic explains that the fear can “take over your thoughts” and “impact your life beyond just feeling afraid.” It can prevent people from relaxing, participating in social activities, or even eating.
Emetophobia can be especially challenging for parents of young children, who are unable to fully take care of themselves when sick, don’t have the same level of control as adults, and can’t clean up after themselves. Now, one mom is facing major backlash online over how she chose to handle her toddler’s illness.
Posted a video of her son sleeping on the driveway
Ashley, who posts on TikTok under the name @the_accidental_adult, shared a video showing her toddler sleeping on the driveway next to his dad while recovering from a stomach virus.
“POV: you have emetophobia, so your toddler’s stomach virus gets moved to the driveway,” she captioned the video, adding: “Desperate times call for desperate measures.”
The TikTok quickly went viral, racking up millions of views, with many users criticizing the situation in the comments.