Preverbal challenges, pulling, chinning and crying.

Hi All,

I am hoping someone will share experiences on a few topics that I'm seeing in our son aged 5.

1/

He's always been tactile & affectionate and lets out squeals of joy and excitement but has never overtly shown other emotions.

Lately, (for no apparent reason) he becomes teary and starts to cry and get distressed. This can happen a few times a day. He is pre-verbal and does not currently say any words.

He has recently grown in his sense of self, own will and determination. I can apprecaite that children may reach a development stage where they become more aware of there feelings, and that these may feel overwhealming. But I've not seen any research or materials that discuss this. 

I was wondering if anyone knows of any research or books that deal with this, and if it is common, as a loving parent its really hard when your child gets upset and unable to tell you why.

2/ 

'Chinning' - he has developed a stim whereby he bores his chin into the faces of those close to him, he will also press his forehead down onto beds, sofas and other objects. 

Sometimes it appears as though he does his in a frenzy propelling himself toward you and pressing down very hard, sometimes on your extended lateral orbitotomy (above your cheek but below your eye socket). 

He has also started to headbutt lightly, all these stem around his head and jaw line.

3/ 

As he is pre-verbal, he communicates his wants and needs with non-verbal methods, one common behaviour is pulling your arm (with all his strength) to a desired object.

I respect & understand this is his way of communicating, so do not want to deter him, but would like to find a more manageable method to use with him. He is yet to learn to the art of patience so it can feel like being jolted by engine that's slipping gears. Again it becomes more complex when there is not the option to communicate with words. 

I've tried taking his hand from mine and lightly tapping it to show that this is an alternative method he can use but that hasn't changed anything to date.

Thanks for taking the time to read,