5 year old hitting herself and wanting to hurt herself

[littlesos]

I'm at a loss as to what to do. My DD2 is 5 and a half and over the last couple of months her personality has completely changed. She has always been a stubborn little moo, but happy and smiley. Just lately she has started to hit herself and pull her hair when she is angry or frustrated. When I've asked her about it she says she is angry and wants to hurt herself, she doesn't know why.

I am worried.
The last week she has become intolerable, I think she is tired, if I'm honest I'm hoping that she is tired. She goes to bed between 7.00 and 7.30 but she wakes up quite early (5.00) she looks tired and she has been complaining of nightmares. She shares a room with her sister, they have blackout blinds, so it's not the light that is waking her.

We are arguing over everything, what she wears, she complains her clothes are too tight when clearly they aren't, she won't walk, she asks for things and then they aren't right when she gets them, it's almost like she's 2 again.

I am on the verge of taking her to the Dr's, but I don't know what I would say when I get there that wouldn't provoke a "it's normal" response.

Can anyone offer advice?

Did she start school in september? If she did she is probably exhausted. The first year is very tough on LO's.

I would try to ignore as much stroppiness as poss and give extra praise and cuddles. Try not to get into a spiral of negativity, that will make everybody miserable.

It might be worth taking her to the docs and get her checked out for ear infection or something similar. My Dd1 had so many ear infections that she got used to being in pain and didnt tell me.

Good luck.