my CM is concerned about dd's odd behavour. Is it that odd????

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my dd is 2.2 and has recently started going to a child minder. (about 2 months ago) My CM is a good friend of mine but has very advanced/gifted children and dd is her first mindee. She is very concerned by how sensitive my dd is to certain things. Dd has phobic reactions to things, the first one was a singing toy at 4 months old. Currently the list includes, Iggle Piggle and Upsy Daisy singing their songs or kissing(!) (but loves the rest of night garden) the wheels on the bus song (because of fake crying in the babies on the bus go wah wah wah verse) some versions of twinkle twinke (but I am allowed to sing this and do not understand what the trigger is...) Miss Polly has a dolly (cross voice for Dr as sung at music group) any singing dolls, and the wierdest one, mentioning the author of a book, eg saying the very hungry catapiller by Eric Carl She is also very funny about her baby toys that she used to love but hasn't seen for a few months, she won't enter a room with them......

looking at this its mostly music related. she is very musical, she can keep a beat and can sing bits of tunes (has delayed speech so struggles to get any of the words but can replicate changes in pitch sometimes) Music is very important to her but knowing that doesn't help me understand why things upset her.

When something bothers her her bottom lip trembles, if she can be distracted within a milisecond of this she is ok but if not its 10 mins+ of hysterical screaming which leaves her shaking. sometimes she screams herself to sleep if we can't bring her out of it and she sobs in her sleep for ages. (very distressing for everyone)

the CM experienced her screaming herself to sleep for the first time last week and had a couple of very bad days when it seemed like everything was setting her off. (but she had put night garden on to calm her down....) She asked me if the health visitor thought it was normal as she had never encountered anything like it. it has never occured to me to ask the HV tbh as I just think she is a sensitive soul and just needs lots of love but I would like to know what you all think...

My DD1 was sensitive to certain pieces of music too. Twinkle twinkle... used to set her off crying, no reason I could ever fathom. Also any songs with "sleeping" in e.g. dingle dangle scarecrow would reduce her to tears. She has now (nearly 6) grown out of it, but is still a sensitive soul. Might be worth a quick chat to the HV if you are worried.

Oooh, Colander & Sticky, DS also cried at Twinkle Twinkle too....never found out why but fine now.

Also sobs in sleep for no reason apparant to me and is difficult to wake up during an episode. When he does, has a drink and pops back fine.

How odd?!

My dd went hysterical if she ever saw people dressed up in furry costumes/clown etc/ Guy Fawkes was murder. Also very scared of certain books. My db was terrified of railway crossings, tunnels and oldfashioned stoves- couldn't get him into a room with one, and they were so common where we lived. Other db very sensitive to story characters. My Mum terrified of hoovers - and her uncle-in-law, who was the gentlest person imaginable. They've all grown up into sensible well adjusted people without phobias. May I suggest that perhaps your CM's experience is a little limited?

I suggest that your CM should visit some Mum & Toddler music groups. For every 10 children enjoying the music, there will be at least one child going bonkers. It's not unusual at all.

As your dd's speech improves, she will be able to say what bothers her and you will be able to either rectify the situation or tell her to leave the room until she can calm herself down.

As it is, she is a bit young to be concerned about I think. I wouldn't worry, I wouldn't give the tantrum any attention either. Maybe your CM can set up a quiet corner with a blanket that you dd can put herself in if she gets in a state again.

This sounds v similar to DS (2.4) and I haven't considered it not to be normal. He also seems to have a very keen ear for music and can sing about 30 songs in tune etc. But if the wrong person tries to sing it, or it's a song he doesn't like, or you get a bit wrong, or you just start singing something without you asking, he loses it. Everything has to be VERY ordered with music where DS is concerned. I think DS is on the sensitive side of normal but nonetheless I don't consider it odd, very typical for a 2 year old to want to control things in my experience.

My DD was terrified of:

Thomas theme music

Little Bo Peep on Tellytubbies

The bear on Tellytubbies

A laughing Elmo

A 'noisy' book, the lions roar

Anybody dressed in costume

Fans

All these sets her into hysterics, but she grew out of it. Some children are just sensitive. I used to say that my DD was scared of the known, she knew certain things made a noise and anticpated it so it made it worse when it did happen.

yep, would not be unusual in this house. ds2 is very sensitive to anything with even very mild peril in it. he is 4 now and chilling out a bit but if hes having a sensitive day, a balloon, for eg, would send him into a tantrum. really would not worry about it. ds1 was similar and is now 'normal' 11 yr old (if, indeed there is such a thing, pre teens are another story entirely.)

one of the little girls I minded loved a particular doll of mine but screamed when it made a noise. It was supposed to sound like babies laughing but tbh it sounding like crying. Perhaps your DD is very sensitive. Its not abnormal but not everyone has the gift of being sensitive.

My DS was scared on Teletubbies, well of the bear and the scary lion. Becuase of this he would scream at the title song and even if he heard anyone else mention it. (DS is now 11 and still scared of Teletubbies.)
We used to attend a music group when he was a baby and would scream at certain noises and never joined in the singing in all the time we went, although he seemed to be enjoying it IYKWIM. He went on to play 4 different instruments and is very musically minded.

I wouldnt say your DD was odd just that your CM hasnt got that much experience of different children.

My niece is scared of stickers!