DCG scared of everything!

[Jujube835]

I have 2.5yo DCG that screams bloody murder all the time!

Garbage truck stops at the top of the driveway? Runs screaming and basically hyperventilates.

Elevator? Screams and screams.

I remember that I forgot the diaper bag in the house. Stop in the driveway and run back in for literally 20 seconds. I came back and she was having a panic attack.

She is seriously screaming like she is TERRIFIED and it takes a really long time to get her settled back down


I'm going crazy! Is this a real issue or is she just a scaredy cat?

[Onawhim]

I have one who is 2.5 who does the same. If she sees a bug outside she FREAKS!! Forgets her hat has to wear one here she freaks! Going to the park and getting in the car.. I'm hoping its a stage.

[Controlled Chaos]

You are making me think I should be grateful dcg 2 here is only terrified of my dog I told mom when she interview, dog would be around and I would not limit his outside time accomodate a child afraid of dogs. Mom said "that's fine". So...poor dcg, plays nicely outside forgetting dog is out there, then sees him, screams bloody murder, then goes back to playing and Repeat But she petted him yesterday, until he looked at her....then she screamed.

[e.j.]

Is this a real issue or is she just a scaredy cat?

It could be a real issue. Is it possible she has a sensory integration problem? When my son was young, he used to react to loud or unexpected noises - or what apparently was loud or unexpected to him)!. Bedtime in the winter used to be tough because he could hear what sounded to us like a slight pinging noise coming from our forced hot water heating registers and he'd scream, "The heat! The heat!" until we were ready to scream along with him! We couldn't go into a public restroom with him because the flushing toilets petrified him. He also seemed to hear things we either couldn't hear or barely heard. Although we don't live all that close to them, there are some railroad tracks in town. Depending on how the wind is blowing, we can sometimes hear the train whistles blowing. He could tell us they were coming long before my husband and I could hear them.

[spedmommy4]

I have 2.5yo DCG that screams bloody murder all the time!

Garbage truck stops at the top of the driveway? Runs screaming and basically hyperventilates.

Elevator? Screams and screams.

I remember that I forgot the diaper bag in the house. Stop in the driveway and run back in for literally 20 seconds. I came back and she was having a panic attack.

She is seriously screaming like she is TERRIFIED and it takes a really long time to get her settled back down


I'm going crazy! Is this a real issue or is she just a scaredy cat?

At 2.5, she is not old enough to be making it up. It's concerning. I've only seen the level of anxiety you're describing in kids who have experienced trauma. (Most often the foster children I work with) The other possibility is that it's learned behavior. If mom or dad are big worriers, it can rub off on a little one.

Regardless of what the cause is, in order to reduce the behavior, you do a lot of supporting and modeling. Supporting: the garbage truck is coming. it will be loud, but that's okay- and then modeling- I can cover my ears like this.
You support by alerting dcg to what is going to happen. You model what she can do and also model the "it's no big deal" attitude.

[hope]

It could be a real issue. Is it possible she has a sensory integration problem? When my son was young, he used to react to loud or unexpected noises - or what apparently was loud or unexpected to him)!. Bedtime in the winter used to be tough because he could hear what sounded to us like a slight pinging noise coming from our forced hot water heating registers and he'd scream, "The heat! The heat!" until we were ready to scream along with him! We couldn't go into a public restroom with him because the flushing toilets petrified him. He also seemed to hear things we either couldn't hear or barely heard. Although we don't live all that close to them, there are some railroad tracks in town. Depending on how the wind is blowing, we can sometimes hear the train whistles blowing. He could tell us they were coming long before my husband and I could hear them.

I thought sensory integration disorder too. Sounds just like my DD. OP, maybe you can suggest an evaluation?