Obsessive Behavior in Toddlers

For the last five weeks, my three-year-old daughter has been missing. In her place stands a creature who is nearly identical, from her impish eyes to her frazzled brown hair to her crooked smile. However, the creature who now rides in my daughter's car-seat and sleeps in my daughter's bed insists that she is not my child. She is, in fact, a parasaurolophus who moonlights as an ichthyosaur.

My daughter has an obsession with dinosaurs, and it permeates her every activity. She watches aLand Before Time movie every day and reads at least three dinosaur books every night. She answers only to, "Little Parasaurolophus" when I try to get her attention. She discusses the difference between apatosaurus and brachiosaurus in her sleep. This degree of obsession may seem abnormal, but I'm honestly not worried. After checking with my daughter's pediatrician and a few savvy moms, here are some things that I've found out about toddlers' obsessions.

They can be a sign of being gifted.
My daughter's pediatrician explained to me that toddlers who are obsessive about their interests tend to be bright. They focus on relatively advanced concepts like train mechanics and paleontology, because they may have an understanding of these concepts beyond their years. Obsessive toddlers may be developing fascinations with science or language while their same-age peers are only beginning to learn words. When this is the case, don't fret-- rejoice! It's wonderful to have a gifted toddler.

Obsessions in toddlers are usually normal.

In general, obsession is a completely normal phase of human development, and it peaks during the toddler and preschool years. I spoke to one mom whose son was absolutely obsessed with vacuum cleaners until he turned four. Years later-- in the very recent past-- that same kid recently graduated his high school as valedictorian. No matter how eccentric your child's obsessions are, it's not likely that his fixations are a sign of mental illness, autism, or learning disabilities.

Take advantage of your toddler's fascinations.

Is your toddler absolutely nuts for ballet? There's no better time than now to enroll her in ballet lessons! As a parent, you should indulge and encourage your child's interests. If your little one gains an interest now, she can expand upon it in her future educational endeavors. Who knows: my dino-crazy kiddo just might turn out to be an amazing paleontologist, and another mom's train-obsessed tot could turn out to invent the next generation of energy-efficient mass transit.

Get someone else involved. You may not know enough to educate your toddler on the ins and outs of his obsession, but there are dozens of available resources that can educate your toddler about his biggest obsessions. If your child loves trains, take a trip to a local train yard or historic site (my daughter loves the Chattanooga Choo-Choo). If your toddler's nuts for exotic animals, a trip to the zoo is in order, and a zookeeper can help to educate him. Children's museums and toddler-friendly lessons are also great choices for obsessive toddlers. With an outsider's help, you can really make the most of your toddler's interests.

Talk to your pediatrician. While obsessive behavior in toddlers is rarely the sole symptom of an underlying disorder, you may need to get in touch with a pediatrician if you notice other worrisome symptoms. Toddlers who are unable to learn anything outside of their range of obsessions may need some form of intervention. Additionally, toddlers who say things repetitively-- constantly-- may be displaying echolalia, a symptom associated with autism. Any time that you're concerned, it's best to check in with a health care provider.