Please any advice or opinions on dealing with a toddler head banging would be very much appreciated.?

Question

My child will be 3 in october he has been headbanging since he was 10 moths old.

3 months ago I was told he has a speech delay of 6-18 months.

I have tried everything from ignoring him, sending him to his room, time out, punishing him. I get told by alot of people that he will grow out of it( when its been 2years nearly) and that he is doin it for attention, but anything can trigger it regulary he will do it in the middle of the night against the wall.

No medical proffesion has witnessed him doing it.

My health visitor thought he could be a form of autism but the paedatrician disagrees and thinks it may be behavioural problem as he has quite a high understanding of thing although the may struggle to express what he wants at times.

We have been reffered to CAHMS for behavour support but we wont get an appoinment for 3 months.

Would love to hear from people who are going through anything similar for any tips and advice cos Im at my wits end!!

Answer 1

I banged my head as a child too.  I would do it when I was frustrated.  The bang was very calculated so as not to hurt too much.  Once when I was doing it, my mother pushed my head down hard enough for it to hurt when it hit.  Although I don't suggest you solve your problem this way, it worked.  She also held my head underwater as a pre-schooler to show me what drowning was like so I would stay away from the water where we lived.  So needless to say, she could have put parenting classes to good use.

Bottom line is your child is expressing frustration most likely.  You need to find another way to teach him how to deal with what is frustrating him.  It will take work and patience on your part to help him through this.  I can't give you specific measures to take, since I have not had to deal with such behavior from my children, but perhaps someone at a parenting class could.

Answer 2

take your child back to the doctor and tell them what he is doing.

Answer 3

my daughter does it, its normal 4 children to do it, its how they express their feelings dont worry xxxxxxxxx