Toddlers are interesting little people, to say the least, and their behavior can at times baffle even the most patient of parents. Sometimes when you notice something about your toddler’s behavior that you think is unusual, it can be hard to determine whether it is just typical toddler behavior or a sign of something more. I recently had a discussion about this topic with Dylan’s pediatrician at his last well child visit.
During the visit, the pediatrician checked Dylan up and down physically. He also asked me questions about the kinds of things that he has been doing – can other people understand him when he speaks, can he name one color, things like that. Then, it was my turn to ask questions. I described the types of things that Dylan likes to do all day, things like running, jumping, and climbing. I told him that he seems to have a very high level of energy almost all of the time. Of course, I mentioned behavioral concerns such as how it often seems like Dylan does not listen to me or listens to what I say and then does exactly what I had asked him not to do. I then asked the pediatrician whether that high level of energy and fairly frequent misbehavior is typical, or whether there is something going on that is cause for concern.
It turns out that my “concerns” are not all that concerning, according to my pediatrician. Apparently, as he had been conducting his exam, he had also been observing Dylan’s general demeanor. What he told me he had observed was a healthy, curious, energetic little boy whose behavior is well within the realm of what would be considered typical for his age. He also told me that I worry too much. I am glad that I took the time to discuss my concerns with him because even though there is nothing to be concerned about, if there were and I had not brought it up I would have felt badly about it later on. Even worse, I would have continued to worry about things that I do not have to worry about. If something about your child’s health or behavior concerns you, don’t be afraid to ask your pediatrician about it at your child’s next checkup. Your pediatrician can ease your worries if there are no concerns or asess your child and determine whether any treatment is needed if they do notice something concerning.