DS is 4.5 and has regular 'episodes' where he has a complete meltdown and lashes out. His behaviour is like during a night terror (he does get those) but during the day. He will suddenly just shout at us to go away, scream, hit, kick, throw toys or anything he can find across the room, bite his clothes, rip books with his teeth. It seems like he has too much adrenaline and clenches his body and screams.
It seems to be happening more and more since starting school. Some weeks he will have zero episodes, some weeks it is almost every day.
Never more than once a day though and 99% of the time it is at the end of the day. Illness is a huge trigger, as well as hunger and tiredness.
Whenever he has a hugely exciting day, like if he has a friend over to play, or a birthday party, I know there will be a meltdown at the end of it.
He just seems to be overcome with his emotions, good or bad.
I don't know if it's:
- bad behaviour, testing the boundaries of what he can get away with
- a special need of some sort, he will mask his feelings all day and lashes out once in his safe space (it's never happened outside the house or in front of anyone else)
- normal? (But I've never heard of anyone his age doing this)
- him being a 'sensitive little soul' (how nursery and preschool described him) and getting easily overwhelmed, but should hopefully grow out of it?
I'm at my wits end with it though, as it's always me who bears the brunt of it.
He's a lovely boy outside of this, just seems to come over possessed. Help!