Logan has like no sense of self preservation. Every day is a struggle to prevent whatever self-harm he seeks next. We still have to cut his food into tiny pieces because he shoves so much into his mouth at once. Multiple times now he's swallowed so much he's stopped breathing, and I've had to forcibly remove whatever was stuck in his throat. He routinely gags himself with anything he can stick down the back of his throat. Crayons, markers, forks, spoons, straws. He's done this since the first time he was able to grab something and pull it toward his face. What's the appeal? We converted his crib to a toddler bed two weeks ago, and he spent the whole first night doing bellyflops onto the ground. He spontaneously falls backwards like it's some kind of game, on hardwood, blacktop, concrete... it's exhausting just trying to keep him alive.
He still intentionally hits his head against objects. Walls, floors, the corners of tables and chairs. I wonder if he is seeking pain, like he has to explore what each thing feels like when he slams his forehead into it. It's still so hard to get anything done at home, because he can't be trusted on his own. I mean I can't even vaccuum a 10x10 block of kitchen before he's smacking himself into the oven or trying to pull knives off the countertop. I love him but his behavior is ridiculous. I know it is developmentally appropriate for toddlers to explore, and that they can't be expected to have the skill or coordination to always safely navigate their environment. But he's purposefully seeking ways to hurt himself. It seems like this goes beyond normal toddler recklessness.
A lot of our child proofing is already obsolete. He knows how to unlock the magnetic drawer latchesand if he can't reach the magnet, he just grabs a handle and falls backwards so the thing opens anyway. He's broken two locks this way already. Our stair gates claimed to work for children up to 3 years. One of them he can open on his own, and another he can climb halfway over already.
Anyone else struggle with this? He's 21 months now. How long does it keep up?