Shockingly horrible screaming fits

[Anonymous]

My 17 month old has recently started having absolutely horrible screaming fits. The first time it happened I thought I was going to have to take her to the emergency room, I was truly scared of what was happening to her. She screams uncontrollably, at the top of her longs, in a total rage for maybe 10-15 mins (but feels like eternity). She also arches her back and stiffens her body and will roll around on the floor. She will not be touched or comforted during this time and it doesn’t matter what we try to do to distract or comfort her, she will not be soothed until she’s done. What triggers these is unpredictable but typically it’s something that upsets her and (I suspect, she can’t tell me) makes her feel out of control — e.g. her sibling takes something from her, she’s forced into a high chair, she’s taken out of the bath before she wants to be done, etc. This makes anything my older child did look like a walk through the park.

I am definitely going to talk to her doctor at her next visit. Curious if anyone else had a kid act like this and it turns out the kid had some other problem down the road?

[Anonymous]

Career nanny. That could just be a tantrum and maybe your oldest was more mild-tempered. It could also be that this is a sensory meltdown issue (google sensory seeking/sensory avoidant). This doesn’t mean your kid has a diagnosis of some kind (not necessarily at least), but basically just that some kids are more sensitive and high strung. I have seen tantrums like this with many kids over the years, a few are now ADHD or other diagnosis, but most are just sensitive, intelligent, high-octane people.

My best advice for right now is to focus on the basics, bc if you are trying to manage behavior but your kid is not getting their underlying needs met, you are going to fail with any approach to the behavior itself.

So make sure your kid is getting lots of high-quality sleep, healthy meals and snacks at age-appropriate intervals, and a good balance of active/physical play and calmer play.

[Anonymous]

normal

[Anonymous]

My oldest was like this. Turned out to be adhd. It's better at 4 but it was a rough few years. She feels everything very deeply.

[Anonymous]

My daughter (now 23 months) did this around that age. She only had a handful of those fits, but some of them lasted almost an hour. It hasn’t happened in months and I think it was just a developmental thing that she had to get out of her system. She still has little tantrums at 2 but she hasn’t gotten into that wild, inconsolable state since. She is much more verbal now and I think having some control over her world is what made the difference.

[Anonymous]

My friend's child did this during preschool years. She and DH were in the middle of a divorce when child began having unreal meltdowns that could last an hour. That child is now in their 30s and doing fine.

[Anonymous]

Might be autistic.
Teach good manners, no sugar, healthy meals, more nature time.

Nanny

[Anonymous]

Did she just get a vaccine?

[Anonymous]

It could go either way, not enough information to tell but something I’d follow up with a developmental pediatrician about.

[Anonymous]

Our kid did that and still has epic meltdowns at age 8. ADHD and anxiety

[Anonymous]

It would be amazing to see developmental ped now jic. We waited til 7 and so many sensory seeking/regulation behaviors were ingrained. It could be temperament and verbal communication not being fully available, worth checking out to be sure v

[Anonymous]

Place your child in a safe area when it happens (out of the tub, away from furniture, etc) and give them as little attention as possible until the behavior stops.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did she just get a vaccine?

Here come the anti science crusaders in their tinfoil hats! Everybody grab your hydroxychloroquine!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did she just get a vaccine?

Here come the anti science crusaders in their tinfoil hats! Everybody grab your hydroxychloroquine!

I'm 100% pro vax; my kids are up to date and they both got covid shots, boosted etc. But one of my kids seemingly reacts like this to his shots. It kills me that we have to pretend there are no side effects for vaccines now.

There can be side effects. And it's still worth it!

[Anonymous]

My 19 mo old does this, and is otherwise WAY more chill than his older brother was. Sometimes he's just tired/hungry/sick/getting teeth and something dumb is the straw that breaks the camel's back (He had one of these at a children's museum because the fake log was bolted to the floor! it was pretty funny, actually). Eventually he comes looking for a snuggle and all is well again. I think it will pass once he can express himself more--I vaguely remember this happening with older DS as well at this time.