tantrum overload

Cute picture huh? A sweet boy? A handsome young lad? An innocent toddler? A curious child?

Ahem.

My innocent boy, who is two years old, has a history of tantrums, crying, hitting, pulling hair, pinching and tipping any object over he can find. It's been going on for months and months. Usually he acts at his worst when he's at the doctor and sees any type of medical professional. However, his fits, tantrums, whatever you choose to call them, have gotten so bad at home we don't know what to do anymore.

He pushes the computer chair to the top of the stairs and gives it a push as it crashes down the stairs hitting the glass on the side. He throws his plate of food or glass of milk onto the floor. He pitches toys, shoes, sunglasses, remotes, phones and cups down the stairs. He steps on the cats tails or picks them up by the neck or fur on their back. He torments Devin to no end.

Any time he does this we tell him no and put him in time out in a chair or send him to his room. Within minutes he's calmed himself down and can come out. However, the frequency of us doing this to him is what I feel "constantly" all day long. The time outs don't seem to work. We have tried holding him tight to calm him, which only makes it worse.

Sometimes in my head I think this is caused by all of the trauma he's experienced in the clinic and at the hospital and that these experiences have really messed him up.

In Occupational Therapy, we talked about doing a "brush therapy" on him to help reload his central nervous system. I'm beginning to wonder if this is our next step for him. I just don't know.

I love this sweet little boy to pieces and want to help him, but can't seem to find the right way. This is why I am posting. I know I have people who read this, and people who leave comments, and people who email. I'm just asking from one mom to another, what else could be going on with him? I would love to hear any thoughts, comments, or ideas on what I could try.