10 Month Old Suddenly Fussy at Daycare

M.:
I have two children, both attend daycare. There are a couple possible ideas. One, is there a new child or caregiver in the baby's room at daycare? If so, this may be the problem. Sometimes a new person with a baby this age is not so easy-because when kids get about 9 or 10 months old, they don't like people they don't know. The other possibility is that because she is now old enough to realize that when you all leave her, you're not necessarily coming right back, this may be a little upsetting to her. Solution? Make her a key ring or a book with pictures of you and/or your spouse that they can show her when you are gone-I know that sounds a little weird, but it works. Then her daycare provider can give her something to look at when she is missing you.
Hope this helps.

It could be a matter of a couple of things. The caretaker that she doesn't like or feel comfortable with or separation/stranger anxiety.

My son started getting separation anxiety since he was 10 months old until just recently(still does but on a mild/moderate level)and he will be 2 yrs next month.

Also if the caretaker is not very friendly/compassionate/caring he might not feel comfortable there which happened to my son as well which I ended up pulling him out of Primrose because of that situation which he screamed/cried/wailed all day and didn't eat, drink,or sleep at all. He even started to freak out the moment I pulled up at the parking lot, since then that is when I decided to work part time and when he is with his dad I work longer hrs.

Good Luck and I hope this helps.
M.

M.,

I'd pay extra attention to her behavior as much as possible. I had taken my daughter to a parent's day out when she was about six months old, and had noticed that the caretaker in charge of the room wasn't especially sociable. She was repeatedly out sick with her son. It wasn't until I had gone to pick up my daughter one day that she had just returned from having to take her sick son to the doctor. She didn't wash her hands before changing my daughter. She and I were both very sick for a MONTH.

That wasn't the point of the story though. During the time that she and I were both sick, I'd had to take her to the emergency room because she'd developed an ear infection. Please understand that what I am about to say is in no way a racial issue--it's more understanding that something was happening with my daughter at the time. The woman who had been taking care of her in the day care was kind of heavy set and black. The doctor in the emergency room was heavy set and black (though much more friendly). When she saw that doctor, she immediately started crying and getting upset. It seemed that the doctor had reminded her of the caretaker. This told me that something was very wrong at the day care. I didn't take her back.

I don't say this to alarm you, just to not underestimate your daughter's behavior. It's the only way she may have to tell you something--if there's something to tell.

Good luck,
L.

This is the age when separation anxiety begins. She might be fussy because you're not there. If you're worried it's something else, call your pediatrician. They might have more answers for you. Good luck.

Hi M.,
Its pretty normal for kids to go through these little phases...even adults have off days! They are growing so fast and learning so much that I think their little bodies just have a hard time keeping up sometimes. I have an inhome daycare and children of my own and I have seen it with all of them. There is a good chance that your kiddo is spending a lot more time at daycare than at home so they are going to notice it more or at different times of the day ~ where you might not see it so much. There could be a million reasons... not sleeping well at night or during nap time, going through a growth spurt, starting to get sick, getting some new teeth...so many things at that age. I'm thinking that if its only been two days, your lucky....but be prepared because it might last longer!