DD is 3yo next month. She's been in love with her stuffed animal toy since about 9 months. Plays with it, talks to it, it's her best friend, takes it anywhere she can get away with, needs it to sleep at night. Standard stuff where you worry about what will happen if it gets lost.
Until about 3 weeks ago. Now she won't touch it. It has to stay in its cot with a blanket and she won't talk to it or let anyone else touch it. Gets angry if we suggest she might want to take it to nursery / have it in bed.
I wouldn't be concerned if it weren't for the fact that she looks longingly at it at bedtime and rocks the cot as if she wants to pick it up then stops herself. It's also coincided with her starting to bite her nails quite badly, down to the quick. And with her telling a mysterious story about the toy's 'father' who has apparently been in an accident and had to go to hospital. (I have no idea.) I think she gets (got?) comfort from the toy and misses it and doesn't know what to do now to soothe herself.
We've asked if anyone has told her she shouldn't play with it. She ignores the question.
Has anyone else's dc suddenly fallen out of love with their favourite toy overnight? Is this normal?