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Ever since we had a new baby my 3 year old has become more aggressive, especially towards me. I hav

Dr. Mike0

Ever since we had a new baby my 3 year old has become more aggressive, especially towards me.  I have read this is normal, but for how long?

I always tell the parents in my practice that are in your situation that the older sibling’s life is changing much more dramatically than the parent’s lives. The child feels like some of his uniqueness has been taken away.  I use the analogy of going from a rock star to a back-up singer. Hopefully, the change is not that dramatic, but the analogy gives you some insight into what your child is feeling. Also, a 3 year old does not have the coping skills to deal with such a change in his daily life and thus changes in his behavior can occur.  I am not saying that you should not discipline your child if he acts up, just that he is going through a lot in his life, and very commonly a few months of behavior changes are seen until routine is established again.

All information given is not a substitute for the advice of your pediatrician, primary care provider or trained health professional.  Always consult with your pediatrician or health care professional.

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Dr. Mike has been practicing general pediatrics in a suburb of Los Angeles for over 10 years. He is married and has a six-year-old son and a three-year-old daughter. He enjoys golf, football and family time. His higher education has all been through the University of California system - Bachelor of Science with honors from UCLA, his MD degree from University of California at Irvine and his pediatric training at UCLA. He is the featured pediatrician in the DVD Newborn Care 101, What Parents Need To Know.