Question On Son's Behaviors.

[shaleen]

Hi everyone. I am in a real rut with my 19 month old son's behaviors. He has been gluten/corn and dairy free now for a few months. He is very small for his age (17 pounds) but the most disturbing thing right now is his behaviors. He has been a headbanger now for about 6+ months and it is only getting worse. Saturday night I almost brought him to the ER. He had a 2 hour tantrum which consisted of headbanging, screaming, thrashing and stiffning up his body. This literally lasted for 2 hours straight (maybe there were a few 2-3 minute intervals at the most). I am totally at odds with this child. He is extremely smart and knows what he is doing. Our household has been "tiptoeing" around him now for a few months. At times you can't even look at him for fear of him collapsing to the ground and banging his head. Mealtimes used to be wonderful because he'd eat basically anything you put in front of him. NOw it's hit or miss...with him thrashing in the chair at times. I'm starting to wonder if this child is autistic and am basically just looking for some input because I am so exhausted.

[mommyto3]

Sorry I don't have any advice for you but I can say that my daughter behaves much the same (without the head banging). She's only 2 but she has the worst tantrums I've ever seen. I've honestly never heard a child scream as loud as mine and the violence of her behavious is really disturbing. She's constantly mad at the world and we also "tip toe" around her for fear of setting her off. She's not gluten free but I've been toying with the idea for a couple of weeks. My son and I both have Celiac and I fear that she has it too. Now after reading your post I will definitely put her on a gluten free diet and see what happens. I tried to convince myself it was just the terrible twos but I think it goes beyond that.

Just want to let you know that you're not alone and I understand how tiring it is. Especially with the head banging, you must be at the end of your rope. Is there any possibility that he's getting some cross contamination?

[kareng]

Shaleen- why is he gluten-free, corn & dairy free? Was he dxed with celiac disease?

These sound beyond a normal give me my way or else tantrums. Does he go or stay with anyone else? Grandma, day care, babysitter, church nursery? Does he act like this with them?

What sets him off? Is it a particular time of the day? After a certain food? Might want to track this.

[shaleen]

He was put on a gluten free/dairy free/corn free diet after a naturopathic doc did testing on him. He's is labeled failure to thrive by his pediatrician as he has been 17 pounds since he was 10 months old and he is now 19 months old (same weight). We were supposed to have an endoscopy but the GI doc wouldn't touch him unless he had gluten for 2 months and after 1 week...I told her no way. His behavoirs worsened and ever since we did that trial he has come down with 2 ear infections already!

He does go to my mother's house twice during the week and daycare 3 times...it's a small daycare with about 4 other kids his age. And yes, he does have melt downs there as well. His nutritionist says she thinks he cannot handle the stress of smells and commotion...which I tend to agree with however I have no choice of sending him to daycare. He does have meltdowns at my mom's but they are fewer and far between...usually caused by his brother who is 3. And anything could set him off from dropping a piece of food off of his fork to me putting food in front of him that he just doesn't want at that time...I could just look at him and he would sink to the ground and bang his head. All depends on his temperment that day....that moment. And I really don't think it's food related because he's been on this diet for a while now. And also, he could snap out of the tantrum just as fast as he went into it.

Shaleen- why is he gluten-free, corn & dairy free? Was he dxed with celiac disease?

These sound beyond a normal give me my way or else tantrums. Does he go or stay with anyone else? Grandma, day care, babysitter, church nursery? Does he act like this with them?

What sets him off? Is it a particular time of the day? After a certain food? Might want to track this.