18month old diva!

[AdeleMarie88]

Hey all- looking for a bit of advice.

I have an 18month old, I have been looking after him for about 9 months, and he is becoming ever increasingly hard work. You literally have to tip toe around him, and I'm scared to touch him incase he starts screaming again!!!

He screams to be picked up, screams once he is in your arms, screams for food, screams for toys, screams because he wants to walk, screams because he wants to go in pushchair the only time he doesn't scream is the short hour he sleeps (used to sleep for 2.5hrs, now I'm lucky to get 60mins). Even right up to the second he sleeps, he screams.

It isn't a cry, it's a very high pitched, shouty, moan. All day long. He hits his 6yr old sister, pushes the 3yr olds, he just walks around in a wave of disruption. And if he is silent, I am petrified to go near him.

In all my years I have never ever encountered a child like him.

I have reread all my observations and reports on him, I have asked parents to keep a diary of his home life, and between us, we cannot figure out why this has recently started. He isn't visible upset, he does cry occasionally, and this constant scream is very different. He can talk fairly well, his ears have recently been checked, they are fine, I just do not have any other ideas of why he is screaming?! Parents say he does it all weekend long, they can't wait until Monday to drop him off!! They can't figure out why he is doing this either.

This of course makes it hard to know how to deal with it. I try paying no attention, leaving him to scream it out (3 weeks of this- no improvement) I try distraction, but all this does is give him something to throw, I try talking, soothing, cooing, but he smacks me in the face...it's getting to the point where my affection for this child is wavering- quickly!

What can I do?
X

[Simona]

Hey all- looking for a bit of advice.

I have an 18month old, I have been looking after him for about 9 months, and he is becoming ever increasingly hard work. You literally have to tip toe around him, and I'm scared to touch him incase he starts screaming again!!!

He screams to be picked up, screams once he is in your arms, screams for food, screams for toys, screams because he wants to walk, screams because he wants to go in pushchair the only time he doesn't scream is the short hour he sleeps (used to sleep for 2.5hrs, now I'm lucky to get 60mins). Even right up to the second he sleeps, he screams.

It isn't a cry, it's a very high pitched, shouty, moan. All day long. He hits his 6yr old sister, pushes the 3yr olds, he just walks around in a wave of disruption. And if he is silent, I am petrified to go near him.

In all my years I have never ever encountered a child like him.

I have reread all my observations and reports on him, I have asked parents to keep a diary of his home life, and between us, we cannot figure out why this has recently started. He isn't visible upset, he does cry occasionally, and this constant scream is very different. He can talk fairly well, his ears have recently been checked, they are fine, I just do not have any other ideas of why he is screaming?! Parents say he does it all weekend long, they can't wait until Monday to drop him off!! They can't figure out why he is doing this either.

This of course makes it hard to know how to deal with it. I try paying no attention, leaving him to scream it out (3 weeks of this- no improvement) I try distraction, but all this does is give him something to throw, I try talking, soothing, cooing, but he smacks me in the face...it's getting to the point where my affection for this child is wavering- quickly!

What can I do?
X

This may help...plenty more info if you google 'behaviour at 18 months old'

18-Month-Old Child