help with 18month old scratching and pulling hair

[ziggy]

I have a lovely little girl one day a week, she is now 18months olds and i have a problem i have never encountered before.

She constantly grabs other children's faces, causing deep scratches, and also pulls hair till until i prise her fingers off. We thought this began because when she sees her older cousins she gives them big hugs and pulls their hair. This has been going on for months. It's not as if she does it in anger, she can be playing quite happily then suddenly lunge at a child for no reason.

Both Mummy and I say 'No' very firmly when she does it. If i need to prepare drink, food, go toilet etc i place her in high chair. This morning she was in double buggy sitting happily with another child, i walked into next room to lock back door and she grabbed child's face leaving 3marks!! one of my 2yr olds has really long thick hair and is terrified of her

Am thinking of getting play pen out and putting her in there every time it happens. I've stopped taking her to soft play and toddler group as even if i shadow her she will suddenly do it, even to small babies.

any advice?

[QualityCare]

playpen sounds a good idea, when you are in the room with her would you notice when she is going to do it and be able to give her a rag doll or teddy with "cuddle teddy not x" and really praise her for doing it or is it so quick and random that you wouldn't be able to intervene. Keep the doll as her cuddle doll not as a play thing for a while, once she has 'cuddled' a child use playpen or other form of time out but at the same time l l would still give the doll and say cuddle dolly not x. It is a phase and hopefully a short one.

[ziggy]

will try dolly idea, thanks