Do your kids behave oddly during or in the run up to a growth spurt?

[JustcameoutGC]

Dd nearly 6. Is a high energy kid, can be overly emotional at times. In the past has struggled to emotionally regulate, and at times we have questioned if there were some additional needs. But has really turned a corner this year. Come on leaps and bounds, socialising much better, fewer outbursts, still v high energy and not the most focused kid in the world, but worries about additional needs had largely subsided.

All over half term she has been really odd. V emotional. Crying for little/no reason, not playing with people, wandering off on her own a lot at the park, not wanting to do anything more than go to the park. Thus is really unusual for her to have such a prolonged low mood.

I was suspecting a growth spurt as she has a the little belly she gets just before she has a spurt, and tonight she woke up crying because of growth pains.

Do growth spurts affect your kids behaviour?

I don't know, but it's a very interesting theory! My usually very happy almost 6 year old can be like this at times. I have never thought of this.

Just to add, your child sounds very similar to mine, up until about 6 months ago I was questioning if she had some additional needs, but things have been more settled in the last few months. Have a read around hyper sensitivity in children, it has really helped me to understand my dd.

Interesting theory...

Mine definitely did as babies, when I was more clued up on things like growth spurt timings. I wonder whether that's what's up with my ds10 he's been out of sorts lately and my other ds was at a similar age.

Until he hit puberty one of mine used to go off his food just before and during a growth spurt. He'd eat the same foods as usual, just in much smaller amounts. During the growth spurt he'd get really skinny. After a few months his appetite would come back with a vengeance and he would fill out again. Not that he ever got chubby - even as an adult he is still the skinny, wiry type.

Yes!! My DS is 8 and gets insanely hungry, can't be filled. He also has a really short fuse for 2-3 weeks and cries more often. I always put it down to being more tired. I can always tell when one is coming up as he will eat loads and get a little chubby and then shoot up!

Yes she does, definitely
But she does have additional needs.

She has has less of an appetite, and she is a fab eater.