Tantrums in infants

Tantrums in infants: When frustration overwhelms

Although classic floor‑falling tantrums are a hallmark of children after the first year (the so‑called two‑year crisis), their first signs can be observed already at the end of the first year of life. A tantrum in an infant is not manipulation and not an attempt to “drive you crazy”. It is a powerful emotional explosion that occurs when the child’s immature nervous system cannot cope with the intensity of its emotions, most often frustration.

Why do the first tantrums appear?

At the end of the first year, a significant shift occurs: the child’s desires and intentions begin to outpace their physical and communicative abilities. This creates an internal conflict that erupts as a tantrum.

• Motor frustration: The child sees a desired toy but cannot crawl to it. They want to stand up but fall. They try to insert a block into a sorter, but it won’t go through. This inability to achieve the intended action causes strong disappointment.
• Communicative frustration: The child already knows what they want but cannot yet explain it with words. They may point, but they are not understood. This feeling of helplessness and being misunderstood is a powerful trigger for an emotional breakdown. Speech problems can amplify this, as described in the article about speech delay.
• Prohibitions: The child encounters a parental “no” for the first time. They reach for an outlet, but their hand is removed. They want to play with a phone, but it is taken away. The inability to obtain the desired object triggers anger and protest.

How does this differ from ordinary crying?

Unlike crying, which signals a need (hunger, pain, fatigue), a tantrum is an emotional storm. It is often accompanied by screaming, arching the back, flailing arms and legs. At this moment the child has no self‑control; their emotional brain completely “shuts off” the rational part. Your main task at this time is not to try to explain anything, but to ensure safety and stay close, helping the child get through this “storm”. Your calm presence is the best support.