temper tantrum

thumb|Child having a tantrum thumb|"Christina Rossetti in a Tantrum" by her brother, [[Dante Gabriel Rossetti]] A tantrum, conniption, angry outburst, temper tantrum, lash out, meltdown, fit of anger, or hissy fit is an emotional outburst, usually associated with those in emotional distress. It is typically characterized by stubbornness, crying, screaming, violence, defiance, angry ranting, a resistance to attempts at pacification, and in some cases, hitting or bullying and other physically violent behavior. Physical control may be lost; the person may be unable to remain still; and even if the "goal" of the person is met, they may not be calmed. Throwing a temper tantrum may lead to a child getting detention or being suspended from school for older school age children, and could result in a timeout or grounding, complete with room or corner time, at home. A tantrum may be expressed in a tirade: a protracted, angry speech.

==In early childhood== Tantrums are one of the most common forms of problematic behavior in young children but tend to decrease in frequency and intensity as the child gets older. For a toddler, tantrums can be considered as normal, and even as gauges of developing strength of character.