Temper tantrum
A temper tantrum is an unplanned, unintentional expression of anger. During a temper tantrum, a person may have an outburst of crying, yelling, and flailing of arms and legs.
Temper tantrums usually are most intense during the first 30 seconds. They last 30 seconds to 2 minutes.
People do not have temper tantrums to get attention. Rather, a tantrum is usually a response to extreme frustration. Although temper tantrums can occur at any age, even during adulthood, they are most common in children between the ages of 1 and 4 years.
As children grow older, they learn healthier ways to handle their anger. Children who continue to have tantrums after the age of 4 usually need help learning to deal with anger.
| Author | Jeannette Curtis |
| Author | Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS |
| Editor | Kathleen M. Ariss, MS |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Tracy Landauer |
| Associate Editor | Pat Truman |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Patrice Burgess, MD - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine |
| Last Updated | May 25, 2007 |
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise