Researchers from the Washington University of School of Medicine have identified five "tantrum styles" that may serve as warning signs of an underlying mental health, emotional, or behavioral problem:
1. self-injurious behavior;
2. consistent violent aggression towards others or objects;
3. the inability to calm themselves without assistance;
4. tantrums lasting for more than 25 minutes;
5. an average of 5 tantrums a day, or 10-20 tantrums in a month.
The researchers studied the temper tantrum patterns of children, ages 3 through 6, and discovered that children who do not have any underlying emotional or behavioural issues tend to have shorter tantrums and to be less aggressive than children with underlying emotional or behavioral issues. The study ("Temper Tantrums in Healthy Versus Depressed and Disruptive Preschoolers: Defining Tantrum Behaviors Associated with Clinical Problems") appears in the January 2008 issue of The Journal of Pediatrics.

Ann Douglas is the author of numerous books about pregnancy and parenting, including The Mother of All Parenting Books and Sleep Solutions for Your Baby, Toddler, and Preschooler. Visit her online at www.having-a-babycom.