worried about my 2 1/2yr old daughter

[mandiejenkins]

My daughter is a little over 2 1/2 years old, recently she's displayed some unnerving behavior and I'm absolutely terrified that she's got some sort of disability that needs to be dealt with, she's started repeating things over and over and over again, grinding her teeth, and screaming out at night, to go along with crying over everything and uncontrollable anger ( tearing toys apart, hitting, biting, screaming, etc.) especially when she is told "no" or "not to do something". I've got an older son who is almost 7 and he never acted like this even during his "terrible twos/threes". My parents and family practitioner want me to chalk this up to that "stage". I've never even seen other peoples children act like this. I'm really worried and it seems like no one wants to help me or even suggest something. I've looked in to children with autism and it doesn't seem to match what  is going on with her. Any help or suggestions?

[mandiejenkins]

I know what you mean, about the constant worry that "something is wrong", she doesn't bite the inside of you're lips or cheeks, however her biological father did that as a young child and on into his teens, his doctors told him that it was a reaction to having Hyper activity dysfunction, it's like having "super fast acting AdHd" just something that goes and goes and goes and can actually lead to heart and brain failure if not dealt with, it was super scary for his mom, but she took him to a specialist who listened and provided a medical plan for him. Now he's a somewhat happy adult and doesn't have to take medication everyday. I would most certainly take you're son to a pediatric specialist, someone who deals with glands and endocrine systems. It was a hormonal deficiency in my ex-husband. I wish sometimes we could just wave our hands over them and they would be Okay. I hate feeling like I can't help her. Good luck.

[bon_monty]

My 2 1/2 year son does the same thing although he also bites the inside of his cheeks and lips to the point of bleeding, ulcers and infection and in the HUGE tantrums he has he will headbutt the floor or door so hard a big bump appears on his forehead and he has a constant dark bruise there from doing it constantly. Every doctor i talk to just says its the terrible twos but all the other mums i have talked to dont have half these issues with their toddlers. Even my sister who has had 5 kids says its not normal. He is also very underweight, only 10kgs but super active, he runs rings around all the kids at the park and is up until @10pm every night as he is not tired. I constantly have on my mind that there is something wrong with him, but what i dont know and how to find a doctor that will just listen and pay attention to your worries........

[chula1993]

Hi.  I just wanted to offer some advice, and some comforting words.  I have two older sons, 9 and 16 and my daughter is 7.  There is a BIG difference between how boys act and how girls act.  At her young age, it probably is more likely that it is a stage.  But, the one thing that I would be concerned about is the grinding teeth.  The rest of it is pretty typical for some girls to go through.  There is a tactic called "emotion coaching"  that may be very helpful to begin with her.  Because she is so young, she does not know how to express those feelings that might make her mad and her brother may be giving her a little bit of a hard time (sibling rivalry and such).  It is helpful to talk to her and give labels to those emotions so she can tell you when she is feeling them.  It does not sound like autism and she really is too young to have many behavioral problems, as her personality is still developing.