- With Mayo Clinic emeritus consultant
Jay L. Hoecker, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Jay L. Hoecker, M.D.
Jay L. Hoecker, M.D.
Dr. Jay Hoecker, an emeritus consultant in the Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, brings valuable expertise to MayoClinic.com in general and primary care pediatrics. He has a particular interest in infectious diseases of children.
Dr. Hoecker, a Fort Worth, Texas, native, is certified as a pediatrician by the American Board of Pediatrics and is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. He was trained at Washington University's St. Louis Children's Hospital, and in infectious diseases at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. He has been with Mayo Clinic since 1989.
"The World Wide Web is revolutionizing the availability and distribution of information, including health information about children and families," Dr. Hoecker says. "The evolution of the Web has included greater safety, privacy and accuracy over time, making the quality and access to children's health information immediate, practical and useful. I am happy to be a part of this service to patients from a trusted name in medicine, to use and foster all the good the Web has to offer children and their families."
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Toddler health (6)
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- Toddler speech development: When should a parent be concerned?
- see all in Toddler health
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Question
Toddler behavior: Is sensitivity to change a concern?
Our 3-year-old hates change of any kind. If we move something or change something in the house, he has a meltdown. He threw a fit when I bought him a new toy box and when I painted his room. Should we be concerned about his behavior? Isn't resistance to change an early indication of autism?
Answer
from Jay L. Hoecker, M.D.
Most likely your son is displaying normal toddler behavior, and he will eventually outgrow this phase.
Typically, you can expect a toddler to show some resistance to change. Young children find comfort and safety in consistency. Also, most toddlers go through a "do-it-myself" phase. So your son may be reacting to changes that are being made without his involvement.
These facts may explain some of your child's behavior. However, it is true that extreme, persistent resistance to change can be an early indicator of autism spectrum disorder. Other signs and symptoms may include delayed speech, attachment to one particular toy or object, unresponsiveness to others and poor eye contact.
Keep in mind that some children are naturally more sensitive to change than are others. But you shouldn't shelter your toddler from change — it's unavoidable. Instead, help him learn to deal with change in age-appropriate ways:
- Prepare your child for changes. Tell him in advance if you're planning to make a change that affects his routine or environment. For example, if you're planning to paint his room, tell him a few days in advance. Then remind him on the day you're going to paint. You may tell him before lunch that you're going to paint his room when he wakes up from his nap.
- Let him participate when appropriate. Obviously, he can't paint his own room. But he could help you move some small things out of his room in preparation for painting. Also, you could let him help pick the color you paint his room by asking him, "Do you like blue or green?" You can pick the actual shade, but at least he had a role in the process.
If, despite your trying some of these methods, your son's behavior persists for longer than a month, consult your child's doctor.
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