Violence in Very Social 2-year-old

My daughter is 27 months old and is extremely verbal and has always been very socially bright.  She makes friends everywhere she goes adn has been speaking in sentences since she was 18 months old.  However, she has been becoming more and more violent.  She is violent with me, her baby sister, and any other children that are in the vicinity at any time.  At the playground or playgroups she will shove, hit, head-butt, pull hair, etc.  It is rarely provoked.  In fact, when she is pushed by another child, she cries and tells me that she's been pushed, but does not react in kind.  I am really confused.  She is much more violent that any of her friends.  She only bites me or her sister, though.

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

You are already seeing signs that can indicate juvenile onset Bipolar Disorder. The family history is a cause for worry about this. Schedule an appointment with a child psychiatrist. You are handling the behavior is a sensible way from a parenting perspective.

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

How do you respond to this behavior? The toddler years bring the challenge of learning to control impulses - this is a process that takes a few years to master. The key is developing systematic methods of helping our children to control their impulses. The situation can be more complicated if the child is displaying the early signs of a mood disorder or some other emotional disorder. Is there a family history of mood disorder (i.e., depression or bipolar disorder)?

[mardee82]

I try to be firm and consistent.  We never punish physically.  She goes straight to time out for hurting somebody.  On my husband's mother's side of the family there is a strong history of depression and bipolarism.  I know of only cases where diagnosis happened in the teen years or later.  What should I look for if you think a mood disorder is suspect?

[mardee82]

Thank you for your quick response.  I'll talk to her doctor about it.