Holding hasn't been helping. Even at home when mom and dad hold him while screaming it just escalates. I can see all your suggestions working wonders if this was just a daycare behavior...but he is doing this at home as well. He has been refusing food at home (he used to eat anything and everything and tons of it). Something is up...and I don't think it's just daycare related.
I wore one of my other dck for the first weeks and she is now the easiest child ever. But it just doesn't work for this one.