Help with Child's Behavior Please

[Baby Beluga]

I have a child who turns 4 in July.

I am not totally sure how to verbalize what he does so bear with me please. He is naturally incredibly energetic. He seems to lack situation and body awareness. For example, he likes to be standing and then just go dead and fall on his bottom/back/whatever he lands on. He likes to stand, pretend he has lost his balance and just fall. He likes to run as fast as he can and again just fall. Often times when he runs he does not realize another child is near and will plow full force into the other child. Apparently this happens at home as well because he has put a couple of dents in the walls from running inside his house. One incident he ended up getting a CT. This is all according to mom.

I am terrified he is going to fall here and break something. How do I curb this behavior?

[finsup]

My 4 year old acted like this for a while. Adding outdoor time always helps, but where I live it's not always possible due to very cold temps etc. I had to really limit free play for a while. Instead I provided challenging activities (Lego's with instructions on building something, magnetic blocks with picture cards to try and copy, lincon logs and play animals to pretend with etc) and that helped a ton. He needed that structure for a while. Now we're back to a lot more free play (partly because we're outside more and he's getting older, learning more self/impulse control, he'll be 5 in July) but if he gets out of hand I'll get out something challenging for him. Between the challenge and having a specific task, I saw a lot of improvement!

[childcaremom]

My 4 year old acted like this for a while. Adding outdoor time always helps, but where I live it's not always possible due to very cold temps etc. I had to really limit free play for a while. Instead I provided challenging activities (Lego's with instructions on building something, magnetic blocks with picture cards to try and copy, lincon logs and play animals to pretend with etc) and that helped a ton. He needed that structure for a while. Now we're back to a lot more free play (partly because we're outside more and he's getting older, learning more self/impulse control, he'll be 5 in July) but if he gets out of hand I'll get out something challenging for him. Between the challenge and having a specific task, I saw a lot of improvement!

My newly turned 4yo is acting like this, too. It has been getting worse over the past few months. I don't know if it's an age thing or the fact that his screen time seems to have gotten longer and more varied (and not in a good way) at home.

Cutting back on free play and providing more structure really seems to be the only thing that works for my guy, too. I limit his free play options and he must be sitting to do them. I have a strict no running/horseplay rule so monitor him very closely. I have increased our outdoor time and it's actually gotten worse, so not sure what else to do with mine.

I think, for my dcb, it has more to do with screen time. :dislike:

[Josiegirl]

I had a dcb similar to this years ago and someone suggested having him wear a backpack for the body awareness issues. Not sure if it would work for your little guy or not but what could it hurt right?

[Baby Beluga]

Thank you for your suggestions ladies, you may be on to something here.

I have noticed he plays in his own unique way. For example, if I set out blocks for the kids most will start building. He will grab one block, pretend it is an ipad and he is member of the paw patrol team. This then leads to him standing, twirling and intentionally falling again. It's so odd.He has always been like this, but it has gotten worse recently. When he starts this I have him sit on his bottom to play because then I know he is safe (as are the other children...I can't begin to count how many times he has accidentally hit, kick, or knocked someone down from his movements). Usually he is able to sit a minute or two then starts twirling while on his bottom....sigh.

And we get LOTS of outside time. Oddly enough when outside, all he wants to do is sit. I have had to come up with exercises while outside so he is moving.

[Ariana]

I have never seen a child act like this before. Has he been assessed for sensory issues? Seems very odd.

[childcaremom]

Thank you for your suggestions ladies, you may be on to something here.

I have noticed he plays in his own unique way. For example, if I set out blocks for the kids most will start building. He will grab one block, pretend it is an ipad and he is member of the paw patrol team. This then leads to him standing, twirling and intentionally falling again. It's so odd.He has always been like this, but it has gotten worse recently. When he starts this I have him sit on his bottom to play because then I know he is safe (as are the other children...I can't begin to count how many times he has accidentally hit, kick, or knocked someone down from his movements). Usually he is able to sit a minute or two then starts twirling while on his bottom....sigh.

And we get LOTS of outside time. Oddly enough when outside, all he wants to do is sit. I have had to come up with exercises while outside so he is moving.

The same child.

He was like this when he started a year ago. Came from a program with tons of screen time. I bare bones'd my program and let him be completely bored for a few weeks and slowly saw improvement.

Now it seems like we are back where we started. Behaviour has steadily declined while his screen time has increased at home. I pad. Tv. Movies. He had a good day on Friday with lots of structure. More than I am willing to do on a daily basis. I tried free play at the end of the day and it was crazy time. It is almost like he has forgotten how to play. Needs constant stimuli. Etc.

[NightOwl]

That is more than odd. Sounds like he has some sensory seeking issues. I had one almost exactly like this. He was a bull in a China shop every.single.day. And almost never played with the toys as they were meant to be played with.

I did a lot of research and felt very strongly that he had a proprioceptive processing issue, but mom would never pursue any professional help. After many months, I had to let him go. He was accidentally injuring the other kids almost daily.

[Angelsj]

Do you have any outside toys that spin? Tire swing, merry go round? Inside, the old Sit'n'Spins. It may not just be movement he is seeking but a particular type of movement. Many kids over the years who were like this loved to spin.
You might also want to "sandwich" him when he starts and see if that helps calm him. Let him know it is not a punishment and if he doesn't like it you will stop. Ask him to lay on a cushion and put another on top of him (obviously not on his face) and gently press down on the top one. Let him be in charge of how hard you press down. Some kids really like the feeling and it provides full body pressure that helps calm them.

[Lovatic24]

Maybe try a balance board or a bilibo and give him an area where he can use them. try tape on the floor as a balance beam and have them walk on it forwards, sideways, and backwards.