Head Banging

[Spring Angel]

I think my sweet little baby is becoming a full blown toddler with the attitude to match.

DS has started Head Banging. He does it when he is tired or when he is having a tantrum. Of course initially this really worried me but I've done some reading and it seems to be a not uncommon and something that is more likely to occur in boys.

Everything I've read has said just to ingnore it and praise him when he does the right thing. The problem is it is driving me nuts. Say for example he wants the remote (which he isn't allowed to have) and I say no, he will look at me, bang his head on the wall, tiles door etc stamp his feet etc. It makes a terrible noise but he doesn't cry although sometimes gets a red mark. I'm not worried about autism etc because in all other interractions/developmental stages he is fine. Just a bloody annoying stage.

I guess I'd love to hear from other mum's who have had to deal with this and the most gentle way to deal with it. I am ignoring him when he does it and then trying to distract him afterwards but it isn't really making it any better.

Oh and I should mention he doesn't do it at day-care, just for Mummy and Daddy.

Any advice welcome.

Spring

[Arimeh]

hehehe yeah thats a fun stage!!!

No matter what we did stopped him from doing it - distraction, holding his head gently, trying to not make him tantrum - nothing worked.

I think he stopped doing it when he banged his head on the bathroom tiles so hard he had a bump on his noggin.

funnily enough - he doesn't do it that often anymore!!

No advice - but wanted to reassure you that it will pass.

[Spring Angel]

Thanks Arimeh. I worry that DS will hit his head so hard that it will cause a bump but that might actually be the cure (lol).

Glad to hear your DS grew out of it. How long did the stage last?

[Beach Mama]

Oh my - yep. We have just started going through this and I was wondering the same thing. As soon as she doesn't get something she wants she finds something to hit her head on...floor, fridge, couch (hehe) or us... I am hoping it is something she will grow out of and FAST ...My catch phrase over the last few weeks with this and other tantrumy behaviour has been ignore or distract. Unless she is doing something dangerous that's all we do - ignore/distract depending on how much patience we have left!
Good luck and fingers crossed it passes quickly for both of us!!

[Spring Angel]

Ohhh we almost have enough head bangers to form our own Rock band

[Arimeh]

Funny you should say that Spring - we listen to metal in this house and he does head bang along with it.. haha!!!!

Umm... I think it lasted from about 14 to 15 months to.... maybe 20 months? He hasn't seriously done it for a while - will regress now and then and do it once or twice a month I suppose... now he just shrieks at the top of his lungs if he wants something.. less painful for him.. more painful for us!!!!