How to deal with sudden toddler anger and hitting

[Herts501]

Hi,

My 3 year old has suddenly become really angry a lot of the time and has started hitting, slapping and just being really really difficult. He's even having outbursts in his sleep!

He is not currently unwell and there have been no upsetting events or anything to trigger this. It's being going on for about 2/3 weeks and I don't really know what to do.

I can not find an underlying cause and I can't work out what is triggering him. I'm starting to think it might be a developmental thing but my question is how best do I handle him when he hits or is purposefully disobedient/mean? Do I ignore it or react in some way?

He's a young 3 year old so won't really take on board me trying to explain or reason with him in a lot of detail.

My friends son went through this phase massively I mean like he would pretty much upper cut children in the throat! He's still a bit aggressive but overall massive improvement. I say it's developmental and just because other children don't do it doesn't mean anything wrong with him. In fact I can think of at least 5 different mums I have come across that had the same issue.

Oh sorry and in terms of how do deal with it my friends were told not to react angrily at all it doesn't help it only aggravates them
More but use words like "kind hands" every time he does it after gently but firmly telling him it is not okay