Unfortunately some children have behavioral and/or developmental problems that make it very challenging on a family. Many parents are left with the question, is it time that I bring my 2-3 year old to a behaviorist, therapist, or psychiatrist? The aim of this article is to help she some light on that answer.
Some of the things to consider is whether or not your 2-3 year old is meeting the age -appropriate milestones. For a child of the age of 2, this means that your child should be able to feed himself/herself, can say several hundred words, and his/her motor skills are such that a child is able to move around considerably.
Mental Health
Behaviorally, it is quite typical for a 2 year old to literally throw his/herself on the ground and tantrum, yell, kick his/her feet, stomp on the ground, and from time to time hit others. It is also normal for a 2 year old to have an extremely short attention span and switch from one thing to the next in a matter of seconds. Usually, when a 2 year old doesn't want to socialize with other, often resorts to biting, kicking, and tantruming, and can only say a couple of words, may need to be seen by a professional.
3 year olds can do a whole lot more than he or she could at the age of 2. At this point in the toddlers life he/she can take care of most hygiene and feeding routines with guidance. Since there are more words developed in the vocabulary of a 3 year old, he or she usually has a higher frustration tolerance than before.
If you find that your 3 year old fails to show any remorse during the majority of his or her aggressive actions, or your 3 year old is particular cruel to animals, this can be a sign of needing to seek help. Finally, even though a 3 year old has a long attention span, if he or she is unable to sit still for longer than a few minutes at a time and hear simple 1 step directions (i.e. sit, stand up, lay down, walk, etc), then you may want to consider looking for help outside the home.
Do you want to learn exactly how to eliminate your child's out-of-control and defiant behavior without using Punishments, Time-Outs, Behavioral Plans, or Rewards?
Does My 2-3 Year Old Need to See a Mental Health Professional?
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