Head banging in children
Head banging is very common in young children – in fact it’s thought that up to 20 percent of healthy children do it at some time in their first few years. It usually begins towards the end of the first year, peaks between the ages of 18 and 24 months, and eases off by around four years of age. Boys are three to four times more likely to engage in it than girls.
It’s a real worry for parents who fear it may indicate that there is something wrong with their baby, or that it might cause them harm. However, children don’t engage in the habit in order to injure themselves. In fact, as violent as it may look (and sound) many experts suggest that head banging provides your child with a sensation similar to that they experienced while in the uterus when they were constantly rocked and jostled by your movements. And toddlers love movement: no doubt your little head banger is on the go all the time, jumping, tumbling and loving to be swung and play-wrestled with by mom and dad.
Why they do it
Children head bang for a number of reasons…
Comfort The rhythmic movement of head banging may be a comfort mechanism similar to rocking and
thumbsucking.
Balance Some children may engage in head banging because it tests the vestibular system of the brain, improving their sense of balance.
Stimulation A baby who is understimulated may head bang for stimulation, while children who live in a busy environment that tends to overwhelm them may do it to soothe themselves.
Relaxation Believe it or not, for many children head banging is a way to release tension and drift off to sleep.
Distraction Some young children may head-bang for relief if they are teething or suffering from an
ear infection.
Attention seeking If your child is
frustrated or angry, head banging may become part of her
temper tantrum repertoire and the more you fuss over him when he does it the more likely he is to continue the habit.
Development/behavioral problems Along with rocking and head rolling, head banging is common in children with autism but head banging alone rarely signals a serious developmental problem.
What are the symptoms?
Your child will basically knock his head on a solid object, such as the wall or the bars of his crib, possibly rocking his whole upper body as he does it. It will usually happen when he’s tired (and may continue in his sleep) or during a temper tantrum.
How to deal with it
Whatever you do, don’t panic. Head banging usually sounds more dramatic than it actually is and it is unlikely your child will bang his head with enough force to cause himself pain or injure his brain. It won’t affect your child’s development either – healthy head bangers grow into healthy older children. In fact some research indicates they are able to support their heads better than children who don’t head bang, walk without support earlier and often are more intelligent than their peers.
As long as your child is healthy and developing normally, the best way to deal with head banging is to try to ignore it. Giving your child attention will likely worsen the habit, especially if he tends to do it during tantrums. If you’re concerned your child may hurt himself, distracting him with a toy or by offering a drink or snack may stop him from continuing. It is also a good idea to tap into your child’s love of rhythm by encouraging him to play marching games or to play ‘air drums’ and beat out a rhythm on pillows or cushions.
If your baby still sleeps in a crib, regularly check that bolts and screws in case the head banging is loosening them. You also may want to consider attaching a piece of foam rubber to the wall to reduce noise, or, if your toddler sleeps in a bed, move it away from the wall. A ticking clock placed in his room will give him a regular, rhythmic sound to focus on as he drifts off to sleep.
When to seek medical advice
You will likely discuss your child’s head banging with the pediatrician at his well child checkups. If your child is still head banging after three years of age, or he does seem to be doing it hard enough to hurt himself, he should be further evaluated by a pediatric neurologist to ensure there isn’t a developmental or neurological reason.
Children with autism who head bang will usually display other symptoms of the disorder – for example, by around 14 months of age they won’t be pointing to objects they want, won’t track your gaze and look at whatever you are looking at and won’t engage in pretend play. Older children with autism won’t relate well to others, and may lose skills they had gained, such as language.
The information on this feature is intended for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a doctor or other healthcare professional.
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Last Modified: 19/01/2009
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