My 16 month old son bangs his head on the ground or wall when he gets upset. I believe it's because he can't communicate/express his feelings verbally yet. (He is only able to say no. HE DOES SAY OTHER WORDS but NOT WORDS THAT CAN HELP HIM WITH EXPRESSING HIS FEELINGS.) I have 2 questions for anyone who has already dealt with this situation.
1. At what age did the head banging sease?
2. How did you apprach the situation after the banging?
It may sound uncivilized and old fashion,but my grandmother told my son who was having a fit "keep on banging your head" go on and didnt get upset or over react and he stopped he just wanted his will and was angry.Sometimes even little guys who are really bright look for our reaction to their outbursts.
Ignore and it will stop it stopped shortly afterward when my Grandma did that.
I have to say that I disagree with Kim M. Just because your son only speaks one word does not mean he's autistic. My 19 month old is a slow talker. He only said Dada and Mama until three months ago and he is just fine. Some kids don't start talking until they are two and three years old. My niece is over 2 and she just started saying her first real words. And she is not Autistic. So please don't freak out of Kim's comment. No offense Kim. My son bangs his head when he is frustrated too. I get down on his level and tell him I know he is frustrated and that he wants this or that but that he can't have it because it will give him owies. I then give him a hug and distract him with a toy he can have. I tried the ignoring it approach and it didn't work for my son. Just know that he isn't going to hurt himself because kids no their pain threshold and when it starts to hurt he will stop banging. Some kids also do it when they are tired. It is perfectly normal for this age. And you can look it up online. Also you can ask your doc, but mine has told me it's nothing to worry about and he will outgrow it. Usually about the time he can start really communicating with you.
Even in toddlers that ARE more verbal that your child, head banging is a fairly common emotional reaction in children your son's age. And, as the first comment suggested, you really do just have to ignore it. Children engage in the types of behavior because (a) they lack verbal communication skills and (b) it gets a HUGE reaction from their parents. In fact, the more you give credence and freak out when he bangs his head, the more often and violent the head banging may become. You may try distracting him with another activity when he begins the head banging, but if he is insistant upon doing it, leave the room. Honestly - if you aren't there to watch or react to his tantrum, he won't find it necessary to continue as it does not get the desired effect from you that he wants.
Now, the fact that your son only has one word at 16 months is concerning. I am a special education teacher and child psychologist, and this language deficiency can be a symptom of something more serious. Does he avoid direct eye contact with you, and others? Does he engage in unusual, repetitive activities such has hand flapping or stroking/touching/petting specific items? Does he become engrossed in a single, simple activity such as looking at the same page of a book, for a long period of time? Does he walk on his tiptoes? If you think that he is exhibiting any of these behaviors, you should take him and have him immediately evaluated by a specialist - they are common signs of autism. Head banging is also common in children with autism, but the head banging would have to have been accompanied by more of the above mentioned symptoms.
Some children are just naturally late talkers, but I would suggest talking to your pediatrician about your concerns. If you notice any of the symptoms I mentioned above, talk to your doctor. Otherwise, the head banging is normal and something to be IGNORED, just like a temper tantrum.
Dear S.,
My best friend's son, Alex, did the same thing. Alex did it even in the crib. He is now 10 and does a "version" of it, by rocking and "bouncing" off walls with his back or bottom. Very irritating when it is against a doorbell during a party! Yes he did. During first grade a teacher recommended him be tested cuz of some learning difficulties. They found he had aspergers sydrome. Since then know how to work with him in school, at home, in public situations. Long advice short = talk to your dr about have a specialist look at him to be tested. Hope this helps. Once you find out if he has anything, you can join a parental group that specializes in whatever it is. My best friend said she could live without the one she joined it was SO helpful. Don't know if she joined another when she moved.
Dear S.......would you be interested in attending a free talk on the healthy babies and homeopathic medicine here at my home in Rohnert Park? If so, please contact me -- ###-###-####. I enjoy sharing this information and supporting Mom's in the use of natural medicine for their children.
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C. Springer
Certified Homeopath
www.cathleenspringer.com
I think there might be a bigger problem like autism. Your son only knows one word at 16 months old? My daughter knows about 30 words and she's 17 months. You should take him to the doctor.
