Hi all!
I don't really know where to start. I'm having problems with my 4.2 year old daughter. Until the week before Christmas she had otherwise been a totally normal child-quite highly strung and always been a bit funny about the feel of clothes but nothing that severely affected her day to day life. She was otherwise happy, funny, bright, charming.
I feel like the following changes/symptoms are a stupidly long list so bear with me.
-She started preschool in September and had been totally fine until the last week. They had a school concert which disrupted the routine a bit I gather, and howled through the concert itself. She has now started crying at every drop off (DH does drop offs on the way to work)
-She has been stool witholding on and off for a few months prior to this (I think due to not wanting to poo at school) maybe pooing once a week. She got to 10 days before Christmas so the GP prescribed Laxido which I believe has traumatised her. She was leaking poo from her bum for about 10 days before I took her off it.
-Over Christmas she totally refused to get dressed in anything, even pants, for 5 days. We couldnt leave the house. She now still screams getting dressed unless I let her watch her ipad and physically get her dressed myself. Even when the clothes are on she screams at the feel of them and needs major distraction tactics
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-She now has majorly intense separation anxiety from me-I can't even go to the toilet without her crying. I've slept in her bed for the last 3 weeks. She went off to school with her dad today absolutely howling. She has always been a clingy child (Covid baby and quite preterm so I did cuddle her a lot after she came home from a long NICU stint so she is used to being very tactile).
-Her moods have been hideous-hiding under tables, in the corner, constant meltdowns.
-She seems to feel the cold intensely and looks freezing constantly.
-She has developed a few spots on her face-not a rash as such, looks more like preteen spots.
Any ideas what's going on? I suspected anaemia-she does take a multivit every day but I'm loathed to give iron because of the stool witholding-I don't want to bung her up even more. She is offered a good diet-veg and fruit and every meal and does eat it (although a limited selection-peas, broccoli, sweetcorn, cucumber, a mixed veg tomato sauce on pasta homemade, strawberries and apples). She drinks whole milk for breakfast and school snack and I make sure she's hydrated throughout the day. She does love snacks and sugary things and I'm not as strict as some but definitely not crazy. As I previously stated, sleep is bad at the moment.
She has two close friends at school and a few aquaintances but has always been more of a "few close friends" kid rather than talk to anyone. I would say she's on the shyer side. She has also been quite secretive and will deny any negative emotions even if it's obvious she feels them. This isn't new-she has always been this way despite me reading lots of books about emotions, talking open and honestly etc etc. She has a 20 month old sister who she loves dearly but does get quite intense around having me to herself (again she has always been this way). I try not to show difference and spend time with both equally.
Sorry for the essay. Am I missing something? I'm trying to be logical and rational about this but I'm a stay at home mum and the constant melting down 24/7 is taking it's toll on my already frazzled brain.
Thanks is advance for any suggestions of what I can do x