Complete turnaround personality change in toddler

[WeAreStars]

For around a couple of month or so my 2 and a half year old has been completely different to the person she used to be. She used to be such a sociable little thing, really loved playing with other children and was always happy to see them. Nowadays she appears really nervous around other children and if another child approaches her she backs off and runs to me.

I can't understand why and what has happened. Has anyone else had experience of something like this?

Did something happen with another child that's provoked fear in her or have there been any recent changes she's becoming accustomed to e.g. Nursery/playgroup? It's difficult at this stage because they don't have the language to tell you.

Does she have a new younger sibling or are you pregnant?

She started going to a childminder for the first time at around the time all of this started, do you think that could have prompted it?

Yes definitely! That doesn't mean she hates the childminder or anything. Just that some toddlers struggle with change.

Agree with Mango. Worth having a chat with the CM to ask how she socialises with the other children there. Do you know the other children and how is she when you drop her off and pick her up?

It might just be the change or one simple incident that has scared her a bit or made her more anxious. A dog jumped up and sniffed my toddler's back the other day and she has become terrified and obsessed with worrying about dogs. She's just a little older so can tell me how she is feeling. When she was 2 she suddenly became hysterical when we left the house for weeks and refused to walk and wanted to be carried. Eventually she pointed to a car wheel and let me know she was scared of the wheel. We worked out that a big car had pulled into the kerb really fast right beside us and given her a fright. She was worried every time that a car would drive onto the pavement and hit her. You might be able to work out what it is.

Thank you for all your responses.
CM tells me that she has suddenly been clingy and not wanting to play at playgroup etc but she is fine at her house. DD has made some vague comments about someone hitting someone but it's very unclear and she just says "yes" to every question I ask. CM says she's not noticed anyone hitting DD.
It's all a bit if a mystery but I suspect that another child may have hit DD and the CM didn't notice. If this is the case, how can I help DD regain her confidence? Will it just come back in time? It's so sad to see such a dramatic change in her personality.

6 month mark is the start of disequilibrium. It's normal.

theparentingpassageway.com/2010/02/27/the-typical-ages-of-disequilibrium/