Expert: Evelyn Petersen - 7/30/2006

Question
hi my 2 year old son who just turned 2 in may has just started throwing tantrums where he throws his head back and drops to the ground where he throws his head back again!  I am terrified that he will seriously hurt his head doing thsi as he will do it anywhere concrete, grass, floors and carpet it does not matter to him.  He has always been a very quiet child and has never had a sign of a trantum before the last 3 or 4 months this has started.  I have tried eveything i can think of i have tried time out i have tried talking to him i have tried distracting him with something else and i have tried  smaking him nothing works!  Can you help?

Answer
Dear Kelly,
Giving him attention and looking panicked etc or smacking him will not help at all.  To help him stop the tantrums, you must ignore them. You may have to carry a towel or small pillow with you to place under his head but don't give him any other attention ...just leave him alone.  Once down on the floor he is pretty safe. If he does it in a public place you may have to remove him from there but say nothing ...just take him to the bathroom or car and let him vent...The more attention you give the worse it will be, so the key word is ignore.  Evelyn