https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 05 Apr 2026 13:01:07 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-behavioral-and-attention-issues#post-2926879 Mon, 25 Apr 2022 11:13:00 +0000 Baby Boy Mom 2926879@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@periwinklebee: Since you are looking for answers here is my personal experience and semi-professional opinion...one of my kids was borderline ADHD and very aggressive behavior. The thing that resolved like 90% of it, was nutritional therapy. Another had sensory issues- again resolved when we changed the diet.<br /> I have come to understand over the last few years that the majority of developmental delays are actually nutritional deficiencies and/or toxicity of some sort. Therapy definitely has its place for learning new behaviors and coping mechanisms but if you get to the root cause in the physical body the changes happen so, so quickly. I'm still in training myself but could give you more general advice as a starting point if you would like.<br /> Also I have 4 kids, so I know how hard it can be to make those types of changes, and yet I will recommend it every time because it is so effective. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-behavioral-and-attention-issues#post-2926874 Sun, 24 Apr 2022 10:16:33 +0000 MamaCate 2926874@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@periwinklebee: belatedly, this is the area I work in. (Mental health with little kids 0-5.) it might be worth looking into working with an infant mental health specialist who could provide support given your child’s young age. Most states have an organization that you could find. When we work with kids who are struggling like this we really try to focus on understanding behavior as communicating a need and figuring out how to support the appropriate ways to express that need. The co-regulation/parent guided regulation piece is really important as they need a lot of help developing this capacity. I would be happy to share additional resources but I don’t want to write you a novel if you have already found things that are working for you. Also it sounds like you have a lot on your plate and are still really trying to dig in and find ways to support your kiddo and that is amazing. :heart: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-behavioral-and-attention-issues#post-2926814 Wed, 20 Apr 2022 09:54:47 +0000 periwinklebee 2926814@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Chuckles: @cake2017: Thank you so much! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-behavioral-and-attention-issues#post-2926779 Sat, 16 Apr 2022 20:59:46 +0000 cake2017 2926779@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@periwinklebee: We had some similar behaviors from our two children. What helped and changed was a lot of daily activities outside(Someone posted something similar) and one on one individual attention. Try carving out personal time with LO. Plan ahead and let LO know! That age can be tough since so much is going on! Being active and just pouring a lot of positive attention helped us and was also recommended by our pediatrician! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-behavioral-and-attention-issues#post-2926757 Fri, 15 Apr 2022 07:13:33 +0000 Chuckles 2926757@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@periwinklebee: I can write more later, but I would also look up co-regulation, the idea of helping someone regulate who isn't ready to do it themselves. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-behavioral-and-attention-issues#post-2926754 Thu, 14 Apr 2022 22:05:09 +0000 periwinklebee 2926754@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@caitcat: Thank you so much for this super detailed response, this is incredibly helpful! I wouldn't have thought of spinning, the other suggestions are great too!</p> <p>@mrs.kiwi: Thank you! Her behavior is definitely improved outside, though there are still some issues. Sub-zero freezing weather with a newborn and the kids all home for a month+ this Dec/Jan was rough; hoping summer will bring some improvements. </p> <p> @Chuckles: Thank you! Really the biggest trigger for aggression is just anytime there is not constant full adult engagement; whether it's to briefly help her older brother with something, to change her younger brother's diaper next to where she's playing, etc. We had the evaluation today with a developmental ped - won't get any feedback or diagnosis until a followup appointment in a month - but she mentioned briefly at the end that my daughter is constantly seeking adult verbal or physical input, and without it gets disregulated. She wasn't able to to achieve the amount of independent play they'd expect at this age without getting disregulated, which may be causing the aggression. She also thinks sensory issues could play a role. I'll be very interested to see what she suggests, but am going to google more about self-regulation in the meantime... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-behavioral-and-attention-issues#post-2926744 Thu, 14 Apr 2022 11:29:50 +0000 Chuckles 2926744@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Based on all the changes she's had, plus her age and speech delay, it makes sense that she's having some aggression and behavioral challenges. I would also be extremely skeptical of giving a really young kiddo an ADHD diagnosis unless her level of activity was completely off the charts. When she is acting aggressively, what does it seem to be about? Trying to get something from someone, mad/frustrated because she can't be understood, generally dysregulated, seeking attention? Something else? I feel like you might address the issue differently depending on what's happening around the aggression. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-behavioral-and-attention-issues#post-2926732 Wed, 13 Apr 2022 19:39:06 +0000 mrs.kiwi 2926732@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don’t have much to share but time outside in nature does wonders for kids. </p> <p>Hang in there! I know you have a newborn too which makes everything hard. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-behavioral-and-attention-issues#post-2926720 Wed, 13 Apr 2022 10:14:16 +0000 caitcat 2926720@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My oldest daughter had really rough spells between ages 2-4ish, with some similar aggression issues that were definitely exacerbated by speech delays and sensory issues. It was a tough combination for us to work through. She's 7 now, and I really do wonder about ADHD. We aren't having glaring issues in school though, so I haven't pushed looking into it much. </p> <p>We tried a lot of things to help get through those preschool years in one piece. For some hope: she's a pretty well adjusted kid at age 7 now and things are SO much more peaceful in our house. She definitely still has some sensory issues (getting dressed is still tricky business sometimes...this morning, an unruly pair of socks almost derailed getting out the door to school!). And we're seeing more anxiety at this stage than we saw clearly in her younger years, so things aren't golden all the time - but on the whole, they're so much better. The huge, big outbursts and the aggression are definitely a thing of the past. </p> <p>Some things that helped in the preschool years: OT for sensory issues. Spinning activities helped my daughter most. They recommended heavy work to us too and we never saw great returns with that, but when we got her on a spinning swing it was like she could recalibrate inside or something and come out calmer. We put this little chair in her room for her to spin to her heart's content: <a href="https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/ikea-ps-loemsk-swivel-chair-white-red-10407136/" rel="nofollow">https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/ikea-ps-loemsk-swivel-chair-white-red-10407136/</a> and installed a large disk swing in our basement, so we had good options at home. We had a "sensory gym" routine in the mornings and in the evenings that worked well to help us through transitions and frame the day. </p> <p>Speech was more of a slog, but it got better with time - and once some key sounds clicked, we saw major progress quickly there. That helped the most with interactions with peers/teachers at school, when they could understand her more clearly. Her frustration came down significantly. </p> <p>Other things: we worked with an LCSW for a while (parenting support for me/my husband, and play therapy for my daughter). I like to think it helped my daughter, but I probably reaped the bigger benefits there. </p> <p>The therapist recommended some kid-friendly mindfulness and breathing exercises for my daughter too. We still use those at bedtime now, and they've been a good coping strategy for her if she starts to spin out. </p> <p>We also have every book under the sun about feelings, how to deal when things are hard, don't go your way, etc. I'm not sure they helped as much when she was really little, but they've been a good tool as she's gotten older to use as a talking point that doesn't feel as personal or "about her." </p> <p>I hope the developmental pediatrician is a helpful resource for you coming up. Looking back, I wish we'd gone that route. I think it would have been a useful jumping off point to sort out which extra supports would be most meaningful to us. I tried to piece supports together on my own, but it felt a little haphazard. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-behavioral-and-attention-issues#post-2926718 Wed, 13 Apr 2022 09:41:18 +0000 periwinklebee 2926718@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We've been having some challenges with my 2 year old's behavior since last fall. We've sought various expertise but I feel like I'm missing practical insights from other parents that might help me to more effectively parent her. </p> <p>Our biggest concern with her is aggressive behavior, i.e. hair pulling and some hitting, constantly directed towards her older and younger brothers and towards peers at school. She's in EI for a speech delay, which likely contributes. Her speech is improving significantly but we are not seeing improvement in aggression. </p> <p>She also has a very difficult time sitting still to do an activity or focusing on a single activity. EI evaluated her for sensory processing and says she has high sensory input needs, which lead her to constantly run around and seek new stimuli. They said to do lots of heavy work and seek grounding places for her to sit for activities, which we've done, again with little success in addressing the attention and behavioral issues. </p> <p>At her 2 year appointment, the pediatrician recommended her to the developmental pediatrician for ADHD testing. We have the first appointment for that coming up, but are honestly pretty skeptical about diagnosing such a young child with ADHD. </p> <p>The broader context is that there have been some significant disruptions - her baby brother was born and a labor dispute has contributed to four teachers leaving her daycare class within a three month period (along with fluctuating hours and closures). Given this I've tried to be realistic, but am getting a bit discouraged around the lack of improvements in her behavior. Would love to hear insights from other parents who faced similar challenges about what worked for them... Thank you so much! </p>