Temper Tantrums - Whittier,CA

Taking her to her pediatrician is important, but to give them more information I'd suggest keeping a diary to take with you. Along with what foods she eats, ask the preschool what their cleaning schedule is (i.e. weekly, monthly, etc), and what pesticides they use when the kids aren't around.

I give my kids liquid calcium (blueberry flavored) at night, so they sleep better and then are more rested (and nicer) the next day. One of my kids gets stressed, so I give him Drenamin at night - just one - it's natural adrenal support - and it makes a huge difference. I even take a few and it calms my mood swings. I've seen it work for a lot of parents.

Take her to the pediatrician to get the rash checked out. She may be having an allergic reaction to something or maybe it is an immunity issue. The rash is a symptom of somthing going on but not necessarily something major -- just something that needs to be checked out and addressed. If whatever is causing your daughter's rash is causing her not to feel well then, of course, you may see a flare of temper tantrums or a low threshold for stress. I know I definitely feel cranky and impatient when I've got a cold but, luckily, I'm able to identify how I feel and remedy the situation better than a 3-year old can.

Yes, even children, have hormones. It is not age based, I believe, and per our Pediatrician. But perhaps it is not "hormones" in the sense of women...but they are girls after all, and their body is wired differently, just physiologically. And they are growing all the time. The endocrine system is so complex...

Here's some links:
http://www.parenting.com/article/Toddler/Behavior/Ask-Dr....
http://www.parents.com/preschoolers/socializing/social-gr...

It's good you have observed and recorded her behavior. The rash though... it sounds like "hives" of some kind...this kind of thing DOES disappear quickly and/or pops up in different locations. It's an allergy of some kind... to either something topical or something ingested. Both my kids have had hives and I took them to the Doctor, and this was what they told me. Do you think the rash is always on her back because maybe as she's sleeping on her back it sweats?

My girl, I swear, gets rather "PMS'y" too... sometimes. The Doc says that they hear this all the time from Moms. But again, I don't know if a study has been done on it.

Or, there are other reasons for her behavior.... it could be anything, since it sounds only since she has been attending Preschool?

There is a book called- "Your Three-Year-Old: Friend or Enemy (Paperback)
by Louise Bates Ames (Author), Frances L. Ilg (Author)
You can get it on Amazon.com I have found these book quite illuminating. It's an easy read.

Perhaps check with your Pediatrician.... there must be some REASON for her meltdowns... or hives. And maybe it's related or not...
All the best,
Susan

Hi M.:
I suppose it could be hormonal,but it could also just be shes having tantrums.Like SH said, the rash would tell you that shes having an alergic reaction to something.Hives, will itch like crazy,and that could be enough to set her off.A dose of an anihistomine like triaminic will relieve that, and create a reverse of the rash, pretty fast.I don't know how your addressing the behavior with your daughter,but i wouldn't be to h*** o* her, as she obviously is suffering from alergic side effects.Even after the rash subsides,she most likely feels poor as a result.I think I'd begin checking my soaps,and wash soaps,then maybe foods she may be sensitive to.I wish you and your daughter the best.

It's also possible that there's something going on at school once a month that could be causing this reaction...

Is it possible that there is some pesticide treatment that happens on a monthly basis that affects your daughter? I put flea treatment on my dog once a month and she has that greasy spot on her back that can rub off for a day or so. Or something that she eats - an ice cream treat or something - have you tried monitoring her diet? Or is there a monthly ritual at the preschool that offends her - like a music teacher or something. That is pretty weird that it is monthly... if it is something that makes her physically feel bad it makes sense - I know that when I feel bad, I am more prone to "tantrums". Three is a hard age, that is when I started reading all kinds of books about behaviors. (btw the one I found most helpful was Raising Your Spirited Child by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka) Good luck and I hope you figure this out!

Before writing this I read your responses and all have good reasons for you to take your child to a peditrician. I know what to you show him/her when their is no rash by the time you get there? Take pictures. Also, you said that this is taking place about every 4 weeks. I know that in pre-school and kidergarten around here they like to have snacks, could it be that it's a food related allergy? If you have someone taking in a naturally grown snack it could be hormonal based or just a food she's very senstive too. Remember when we don't feel good our mood alters too. Kids are just the same. Hope this helps.

This mind sound odd but do these things happen at about the same time as you are having your own cycle? I have read someplace that children can have a horomone link to their mothers cycles. I can not recall where I read it - I think it was here on mamasource actually! But after I read it I started to pay attention to when all three of kids had "off" days, mostly they do not all have these days at the same time, but the two to three days before I start my cycle I have noticed that they will ALL act up and misbehave! So this is just a thought, I am not sure if it will help or not, GOOD LUCK and God bless!!