Toddler becoming terrified of everything?

[LearningDad1994]

Hi I'm dad to a 2 year and 4 month old little girl, recently this last month she's become terrified of a couple thing and completely melts down if she has to do them. For example a 3 weeks ago she had a bath then right at the end completely and utterly just started melting down, tears and pure fear. tried to throw herself out the bath. This has persisted to this day that even the word bath sets her off in tears. we have this past month started potty training her and she's been doing really well, but today she had a number 2 in it looked at me and did the same fearful routine as the bath time. now if she even sees the potty or is asked if she needs the potty she shrieks and cries. I'm lost on what is causing these fears to crop up and we've found no effective way to console her and show her there is nothing to be scared of. I am worried she may be on the spectrum for something like autism or something similar that we would maybe need evaluating? any insight would be fantastic.

How do you react when she freaks out, or when she freaked out the first time? If you looked alarmed or flustered this might be feeding a behaviour loop?

We had this with our 2.5 year old and fortunately it was just a faze like everything else! Mine was petrified of a few things but the worst was of cars and roads and was a nightmare going out the house as they are obviously everywhere. It was screaming, shaking, real pure fear! I was worried too but try (and I know it’s hard) to support them and not pressurise or force them. They will get over it. Kinda ignore it, cuddle them and just wash with a flannel. Stop the potty training now and go back to it in a few months.
very close to a few young kids on the spectrum and they didn’t go through this stage. I think some kids do this and some don’t. My daughter did and now is a bright 3 year old who isn’t scared of anything at all - now I just wish she was a little more cautious of roads 🤪