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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

worried about my son

21 replies

bumpsnowjustplump · 21/06/2010 11:00

I had posted this in sn, I was also advised to post here as well in case anyone can help me to deal with this if it is just tantrums... thanks

I am starting to get really worried about my son. He is 16 months and last night was totally out of control. He has always been getting more and more aggressiver recently. He hits out easily, he has also taken to screaming at the top of his voice when he cant do something. He hits things away if he doesn't want them and is basically quiet aggressive. (Sorry if i am not making much sense i am really upset)!!

Last night he woke up at 2 crying as always I went straight to him and cuddled him. He then spend two hours literally screaming the house down punching, kicking, etc. When I put him down he would throw himself around his cot with so much force it scared me, at one point he was almost doing a headstand. Also threw everything out of his cot.. When ever I picked him up he would punch, push away kick me etc. I tried to hold him tight but that made it worse, so I put him on the floor and he was rolling around the floor screaming and kicking out..

I have got a doctors appointment later on just to check there is nothing wrong ie ear infection etc but I am so worried... I have never seen anything like it last night, it was like he was possessed.. I have no knowledge or experience of special needs but could it be that my son may have something? in all other ways of development he is fine. He is walking, although he doesn't really talk he understands what we say and points at things he wants...

I am sorry if this all sounds normal but my daughter has never done anything like this and she is 3 so I have never experienced this. I am also sorry if this upsets anyone who's child does have special needs who may think I am trying to use it as a escape goat. I am not i promise i am just so worried and don't know where this aggression is coming from in such a little boy...

OP posts:

luciemule · 21/06/2010 12:28

Firstly, try not to worry - you have a gp app later so even if you're not less worried from people posting on here, you'll be able to chat it through later with the doc.

Both of children when they were teething (molars) had these type of fits/tantrums. With DD, I did actually wonder if she having a convulsion! She was throwing limbs everywhere, shouting at me to go away/whacking her head on the skirting board etc. DS had similar and I knew from DD what to expect - after some Calpol and letting them thrash it out for a while, they settled and were fine.

Similarly, ear infections etc could also cause similar.

Night terrors also sound similar and whilst dd had a few of these, she was much older (6/7) and I'm not sure what age they would start at.

At 16 months, it's hard to go by the amount they say- it's very early really for them to be too concerned about his speech. DS was 3 when he was referred and even then, they weren't too worried.

If the GP thinks there may anything more to worry about then they will tell you and refer you to a specialist but until this afternoon, try to relax and perhaps jot down the things he's been doing and what ds is like at home/with others etc and what type of birth you had etc. Then you'll have everything to hand if gp asks you questions and you won't forget to mention something important. Let us know how you get on.

pranma · 21/06/2010 12:28

Sounds as if it could be night terrors.

luciemule · 21/06/2010 12:28

so can night terrors start that young then pranma?

Original poster

bumpsnowjustplump · 21/06/2010 12:35

thank you luciemule I am jotting things down now, he is teething at the moment he has his fangs coming through both sides so maybe it could be that, I didn't even think of that to be honest as he hasn't been bad with them at all...

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luciemule · 21/06/2010 12:38

ooh - bet it's that. Teeth can cause all sorts of anxieties. Have you got cammomile teething powders - as well as stopping pain, it's soothing for tummy aches through teething too and has a calming effect. You just drop the powder onto their tongue and it dissolves slowly. can be given as well as paracetamol suspension.

welshandproud · 21/06/2010 12:40

sounds like it could be teething. Did you give him any painkillers?What calmed him in the end?

Original poster

bumpsnowjustplump · 21/06/2010 12:45

Lucie i really hope so thank you.

Weksh i did give him some calpol after about an hour. I would have given it sooner but I wasn't thinking straight. I think in the end he was exhausted and that is what calmed him. It lasted two hours, and in the end he let me cuddle him to sleep.. (I had tried this lots of times in the two hours but he kept kicking, hitting and pushing me away etc..)

OP posts:

Original poster

bumpsnowjustplump · 21/06/2010 12:48

welsh not welsk.. sorry

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KnitterNotTwitter · 21/06/2010 12:49

If he's not talking much it might also be that he's frustrated that he can't communicate. My DS gets this and I have to remind him to use words to express himself. Normally once I've reminded him he manages to get a grip on himself and tell me what is up. At night he often gets upset because he's tired and wants to go back to sleep - but being upset stops him going to sleep. I ask him questions about what does he want... a song, a cuddle, the light on, a story etc... Eventually we get there....!

Egg · 21/06/2010 12:51

When DS1 was about 15 months old I actually called an ambulance during his first ever "massive tantrum". He was so out of character, as though he was posessed, rolling around on the floor and going completely mad, nothing stopped him screaming, if I tried to pick him up he was arching his back and trying to get away and if I left him on the floor he was writhing as though he was in agony. I also wondered at the time if he was having a fit or something.

I called the HV as had no idea what was going on and she advised me to call an ambulance as he sounded like he was in so much pain!

Of course by the time the ambulance arrived he was more or less ok but they took him in for checking .

Nothing in particular had set him off, although I had recently woken him from his lunchtime nap. It lasted for about an hour.

DS2 now does these regularly, although thankfully age 2.5 he is starting to get better.

Fingers crossed it is something similar for your DS and nothing other than those tantrums setting in!

Oh, having just read the other replies, the canines have been the worst teeth to come through for all of mine so that could be contributing to it.

Original poster

bumpsnowjustplump · 21/06/2010 13:05

Egg I was so close to calling an ambulance last night I was so worried.. I am feeling more reasurred (sp?) after all your posts thank you all so much.

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Egg · 21/06/2010 13:23

It was v embarrassing at the time, after I realised I had called an ambulance for a tantrum , but I honestly thought something was seriously wrong and I remember as he was throwing himself around on the floor he was also rolling his eyes and I said to the HV on the phone "oh my god I think I'm losing him"....... .

Original poster

bumpsnowjustplump · 21/06/2010 21:06

I just wanted to give you all an update. DS has an infection in both ears. The doctor said that he thinks this coupled with his teeth are what caused the problems last night.

He wants me to go back in three weeks to see if things have improved, but he is happy that this was what has caused it...

Thank you all for listening to me and for your advice.. You all calmed me down and helped me to think straight....

OP posts:

luciemule · 21/06/2010 22:18

That's such good news. It is really easy to think the worst but glad it's all worked out okay and hopefully your ds will be fine in a coupple of weeks. Does he have antibiotics for the ear infections?

maxybrown · 21/06/2010 22:21

Ah bless him, poor little mite - no wonder!! Hope you feel better now too

mumblecrumble · 21/06/2010 22:38

Poor thing, well done you for not just thinking her was naughty. Hope yo both feel better soon

Original poster

bumpsnowjustplump · 22/06/2010 12:00

Yes lucie he is on antibiotics and i am giving him double dosses of calpol and he slept 12 hours last night and today has only had normal tantrums so he really was just trying to tell me he was in a lot of pain...

OP posts:

luciemule · 22/06/2010 12:20

how can you give double doses of calpol?

Again · 22/06/2010 12:30

I'd been keeping an eye on this thread. I'm really glad that he's ok now. My ds told me he had a pain in his tummy when he had an ear infection! It's so hard so them to describe what they are feeling.

Original poster

bumpsnowjustplump · 22/06/2010 12:37

lucie i have only ever given him one 5ml of calpol (as I do with dd who is 3)at a time but doctor told me to give him 2x5ml of calpol for the next few days especialy at night time before he goes to bed.

Again thank you. It is hard to understand isn't it.

OP posts:

luciemule · 22/06/2010 12:38

oh I see. Glad he got some good sleep, bless him.

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