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6 yr old girl has outburst and threatens mother with knife

My friend has an almost six year old daughter who is a very loving, though  a somewhat spoiled, only child.
After school she played at the school playground with my daughter and on leaving wanted some icecream. My friend said no that the were going straight home. She complained and then insisted on goign to the supermarket for candy, again my friend said no. From then on the little girl went into a tantrum. When they reached their house the girl behaved like a demon, broke a glass, was flinging things around the kitchen adn then grabbed a knife and went after her mother. She then picked up the glass and tried to cut herself. My little five year old tried to calm her down and offered to help my friend pick up the glass. (I was not there)! She cursed her mother with obscene language that she has heard he father scream at her mother on many an occasion! Naturally her parents are concerned and about time too. It's obvious to me that the little girl could have had blood sugar issues to begin with but her anger is so obviously stemming from the relationship between her mother and father. I have told her mother on numerous occasions that in time her little girl would have to go for therapy. I have advised her tonight to discuss the incident with her paediatrician and to get professional help. I really don't know if she will. I'm also concerned now about my own child spending time with her.They are like siblings. But what if she turned a knife on her? Obviously I won't ever leave them alone together.
And any advice on how I should discuss what happened with my 5 year old who lives in a more balanced home. My friend clearly needs to address her own problems and why she lets her husband speak to her like this and especially in front of her child. I have told her to take her child away when her husband starts screaming, he has terrible anger problems, I think he is Bipolar, and she is passive. Her daughter tells her what to do. She always agrees with me but does nothing and this has gone on for years. I am at a loss as to what to say other than, get professional help.
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535822 tn?1443976780
this is a 2 year old thread ...
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Avatar universal
ooops, sorry i already posted a while back and this time i had not read that the father is bp.
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It may not just be learned behavior. If the father yells and screams, perhaps he is bipolar and undiagnosed.
Normal kids with normal brain chemistry would not go after their mom with a knife or try to cut themselves.
This sounds very much like Childhood bipolar or temper regulation dysfunction.  Please have your friend get her daughter to a child psychiatrist as soon as possible.  She has already tried to cut herself ----  i am not trying to scare you but kids with childhood bipolar have a higher mortality rate than some forms of childhood cancer.  Kids like this are known to do the most rash and dangerous things when having a fit.   they will jump out of cars, cut themselves, or worse....hang themselves.  
Mood stabilizers are seemingly needed here.
Angi
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535822 tn?1443976780
She has seen her parents behave like that it is learned behavior and the problem lies with the parents more than the child, your child should not be in that enviroment witnessing that behavior, the Family all need counseling and soon.
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Avatar universal
Before I even read that the dad is bi-polar i was thinking that the child sounds bi-polar.  A six year old chasing her mom with a knife and threatening to kill herself is way more than typical as you already know.  I have read many books on this subject lately and these are symptoms of childhood bipolar.  There are medications now (abilify, risperdone) that actually can help this child if that is indeed what is going on.  It is not fair to the child who cannot help these outbursts...she has a brain chemistry issue.  I feel so bad for the child and the mom.  I have been there, and i understand.
Maybe get the mom a book on childhood biploar on amazon and give it to her.  There are several good ones that talk about the symptoms and waht to do about it.
Good luck,.
Angi
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Avatar universal
Nobody can make this little girl's mom seek professional help.  If she doesn't want to get help, there is nothing that you or anybody else can do.  I don't think it is safe for your little girl to be around this child.  I wonder if the little girl is being bullied by someone?  I grew up in an unhappy stepfamily, and my stepbrother used to get so angry and frustrated after being teased that he would grab a knife out of the kitchen drawer and tell the other kids he was going to kill them.  It never got any better.  By the time he was an adult, he was a mentally disturbed individual, who eventually turned to drugs.  He was murdered a few years ago by a drug dealer.  He never got any professional help as a child because I guess my parents didn't think it was important enough.  The child you are talking about needs help, but if you have suggested it and it falls on deaf ears, there is nothing more you can do, but you should keep your child away from that situation.
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