What's happened to my sunny little toddler?

[PutTheKettleOn]

Am at the end of my tether with DD1 (2.6) and hope someone can help...

In the last few weeks she's gone from being a bright, happy little toddler who had the occasional tantrum maybe once a week but nothing major to a complete stroppy nightmare! She has a tantrum at every little thing. She often cries but won't tell me what's wrong. She's either pushing me away or asking for constant cuddles and screaming when I put her down. She's started having night terrors - waking in the night screaming and flailing.

DD2 is 4 months and up til now DD1 hadn't really shown any signs of jealousy, could it maybe be a delayed reaction? She's also started potty training this week (and is doing really well with it). She also had a vomiting bug last week and though she's not been sick since friday she's still eating very little.

Today has been the worst. She's been crying pretty much constantly since she woke from her nap at 1pm. She won't say what's wrong, just sometimes says she 'wants daddy' (he's at work, no different to any other monday) and sometimes asking for cuddles. I just bundled them both in the pushchair for a walk, it calmed her down for a bit but then she started crying and flailing again saying she wanted to go home.

I'm torn between thinking either she's ill and has a pain she can't tell me about, she's overtired because of all the night waking last night, or she's just having a day-long tantrum and I'm being soft by letting her lie on the sofa and watch Dora DVDs with her dummy (usually strictly for bedtime) which is what she's doing now.

Any ideas? I'm at the end of my tether and exhausted, and DH is working late again

[Roo83]

Personally I'd go with overtired. My ds (2.5yrs) is like a different child when he's tired. If he sleeps well he is charming,funny and lovely company. If however he gets overtired he will kick off and tantrum over nothing, doesn't really know what he wants and generally be a little horror! Unfortunately he no longer naps in the day so if he decides to mess around and not go down at bedtime there's not a lot I can do to help him! Lol. Hopefully just a phase,as they get older I think they can cope better with being tired and also hoping that he'll be better at going to bed too

[wannabeglam]

Don't know, I would have said ear ache but a couple of weeks is a long time.

I suggest a trip to the doctors though, just in case.

[PutTheKettleOn]

Thanks for the replies. I'm thinking yesterday it was overtiredness/hunger as she hadn't eaten properly since having the vomiting bug last week. She slept a bit better last night, actually ate some food today and has been much better (though still not her usual self )

I think the general grumpiness is also partly a reaction to her new sister... this morning she kept saying 'put DD2 down!' over and over, before plonking herself firmly in my lap. I'm considering taking her to the doctors anyway though as she has said several times her back hurts and points to the same place. Doesn't stop her doing roly polys and jumping on the sofa when she feels like it though!

Toddlers eh, it's tough going!