Is there a disorder for children who enjoy pain?!
Question: My daughter is four years old and seems to enjoy pain. She is forever hurting the children at school and feels no remorse. She constantly comes to me and tries to "hurt" me and asks me if that hurts. When I say no she tries harder. On occasions, she'll walk with her toes in where she walks with her toes under her feet. This seemed very abnormal to me. She was recently diagnosed with ADHD and has a lot of trouble focusing. Is there any such disorder out there that has to do with this that she might have?
Answers: My daughter is four years old and seems to enjoy pain. She is forever hurting the children at school and feels no remorse. She constantly comes to me and tries to "hurt" me and asks me if that hurts. When I say no she tries harder. On occasions, she'll walk with her toes in where she walks with her toes under her feet. This seemed very abnormal to me. She was recently diagnosed with ADHD and has a lot of trouble focusing. Is there any such disorder out there that has to do with this that she might have?
Look up sensory processing disorder. They don't enjoy pain, per se, but kids (and adults) do not process it the same way. It's quite possible that she is trying to figure out the difference between herself and others. AND it is frequently misdiagnosed as ADHD...esp by therapists who have never seen SPD. Find an occupational therapist and do a screening. For now, look at
http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.c...
Also, this would explain the hurting other kids. My daughter did this with kids who were loud and hurt her ears, or those who touched her. She wouldn't do it right away all the time, but when she got upset about something else, her mind would just need to settle all scores RIGHT then. To others it seemed out of the blue. To her it was perfectly logical. Someone hurt her (and no one could understand how) and so she was hurting them back.
Oh, and MOST four year olds do not have compassion for their peers. It just hasn't developed yet. What you see in other four year olds is a lot of training to pretend that they care. :-) I would just keep modeling remorse for the other child, without making it a big deal (in case it has become a way to gain attention). Say something like "Wow, it must have hurt Cheyenne to be pushed. What would you do if someone pushed you? How would that work?" And ask in other situations, not just ones in which she is the instigator, like at the playground when someone gets hurt, in a tv show when someone is happy, just constantly identify emotions and coping mechanisms and empathy.
Email me if you want to talk some more! I have three kids with SPD, its a very real and difficult disability, it has manifested differently in each of my children.
This could be a million things. If it is a real problem, take her to a child psychologist. I"m not going to try to guess on this one with such a small amount of information. It could just be a phase with her. Either way it is a bit abnormal. I am especially concerned about her lack or remorse. Please have her professionally evaluated.
i'm not sure but i do know that your daughter isn't the only kid who pinches, hits, or pulls hair and asks if it hurts you. rather annoying. you need to be firm and tell her that when she hurts someone or tries to hurt someone it hurts their feelings too. make sure you don't make a game out of it. and shes not the only one who hurts kids at school either. but that still doesn't make it acceptable.
no there is not. However, a child who has ADHD can be very aggressive. So I am thinking this is where it is coming from. She is probably curious about the cause and effect thing too. She wants to see how a child reacts when she pushes them down. And what will happen next?
It is not about enjoying the pain, it is about all the "drama" that happens afterwords. She could also like the negative attention as well.
The child is only 4 years old. She is very young, and has impulsive urges. Watch her like a hawk, and teach her it is not OK to hurt others .
i think you should get your daughter to see someone, it can't be healthy for a child to feel no pain. she may just have some disorder w/her nerve endings, she may not, either way, i think she should have a physical w/a doctor, and you could tell him/her, what has been going on. this might be serious and i advise that you do check into it. best of luck
i love pain like in my mouth, which is why i enjoy my braces.
i have ADHD as well,
but i dont think their is one.
i know that people do have cravings for it (obviously)
but as a teen who went through some similar symptoms as a child i would recommend just doing the basic "thats not nice, slap of the hand, or taking away disney channel for the night."
I think that having a child eager to hurt someone until they are in pain couldnt be a good sign.
If shese a strong girl she might just not know her strengths.
When did you take her off the passifiers?
i find that when i babysit the kids who had their passifiers taken away at an early age endorsed more pain on themselves because its an alternative to chewing on that.
Mabye some gum balls could work if shese past that stage?
You should definitely find a stress reliever of some sort that fits her rather than people or herself. (even if shese not stressful it will give her something positive to focus on rather than craving pain.)
child psychiatrist should be able to answer that question , and walking on toes at that age sounds like autism going on and some chemical in balance in the brain please seek a couple of drs findings and compare them , before letting them start putting your child on medication, please!