It’s a terrifying word. As I watch my daughter (20 months) toddling through the world I feel this sinking feeling in my stomach. Her well child is coming up and I’ve noticed concerning behaviors recently.

She hasn’t started talking yet, just started using mama and dada but mostly babbles happily.

She’s extra emotional sometimes with some whoppers of tantrums

She holds her hands over her ears constantly

She’s extremely picky about food (beyond toddler picky)

However she’s ridiculously intelligent. She figured out shapes within ten minutes of showing her. She communicates with gestures for certain things (putting pants on, asking for snacks by holding them up) and she it’s pretty far ahead in all other areas of development.

I wasn’t really worried until she started hitting her head against things or Vice versa

I feel like even questioning this means I’m being critical of her but the fact is that she is my little mini me, down to attitude and everything and my parents had no idea how to properly handle me and I ended up with a traumatic childhood and I want to do everything in my power to help my kids have the best life possible.

Am I overreacting?