Why does toddler hit himself in the head

During toddlerhood, your child will be aware of their surroundings and start exploring the world around them. They will also learn to communicate their wants and needs.

However, they might not have the full capabilities to achieve everything or verbally communicate their desires. Such limitations combined with the challenges in understanding the world may cause anger and frustration, resulting in hitting themselves. Studies have found that children exhibit such behavior when they are tired, alone, or upset. Infants are also known to bang their heads at bedtime 2. Sometimes, toddlers hit themselves or bang their heads in excitement.

It may seem serious, but it is normal for toddlers to express strong emotions in different ways. Such actions are similar to how adults clap hands or jump in excitement. Anecdotal evidence suggests that toddlers may also hit themselves or bang their heads to get relief from pain. For instance, if your toddler hits one or both sides of their head or pulls their ears, it could be a sign of ear infection , and if they hit and bite themselves, they might be experiencing teething pain.

Every behavior communicates something. Seeing your baby hit themselves can be hard. If such behavior is not stopped early on, it might become a habit. These articles are really helping me understand what my son needs. And the way you give specific actions to take, with suggested words!

I often find myself thinking when reading about parenting, "But how exactly do I implement that???? This website does not leave me hanging. Thank you! We all want to be awesome parents; we just don't know how.

Yours is the best advice I've found so far on what to do when you, the parent,are angry. Most say something like, "Deal positively with your anger! Laura Markham on www. I have written on a wall at home to always choose love, love is patient, love is kind, love protects, love will get me home. Laura's parenting advice completely changed my relationship with my daughter, improved her self-esteem, and transformed our lives.

Providing my daughter with acknowledgement of her feelings and point of view reduced her oppositional behaviors and emotional meltdowns to nearly none. Laura, you have created miracles, large and small, in so many lives and our children thank you. Folks, she's brilliant. It's wonderful to have parenting experts who don't see the child as the enemy in a locked combat, for one thing.

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We have had several heartfelt conversations and I have seen a real change in how he treats his younger brother, and how he treats me. I love AhaParenting because there is always a "pick yourself up and try again" to it. My daughter reacts so much better when I empathize and stay patient. And now I get to model that behavior instead of letting my frustration get the better of me.

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Back to top. Question Dr. Laura, We are having a problem with our 18 month old son hitting his head when he is frustrated or can't have what he wants. I would love some advice! Thanks, Karen. Answer Dear Karen, I can see why you're worried about your son's hurting himself. What Parents are Saying "This website is gold!! This is consistently the BEST parenting website out there.

Megan Nida. Laura is a parent whisperer! I know that I am a better parent thanks to Dr. Laura's inspirational words and suggestions. It's like these emails were meant for me. Jennifer B. It works. Whilst the odd occasion can be trivial, more frequent occasions may be a cause for concern. When your toddler wants to communicate with you they will find a variety of ways to do it. Unfortunately, these expressions can sometimes be misinterpreted.

This may cause unwanted emotional distress along with tantrums, biting and hitting. But what can you do to stop your toddler hitting head with hand? Safe Environment First of all, creating a safe environment will help. Get In The Way Next, you can physically get in the way. Your baby cannot hit themselves if you are physically blocking them from doing so.

Usually, a soft toy or a pillow to hit instead of themselves is a good way to do this. Are They In Pain?

Toddlers with developmental challenges can self-harm to soothe or for rhythmic stimulation. You may need to consult a paediatrician to get a professional evaluation. But remember If in doubt always seek professional help. Toddlers are exploring the world in different ways every day. Most of this exploration is normal and forms parts for healthy and active minds.

It is within this learning framework that most toddlers face overwhelming frustration. Attention Some toddlers will inflict self-harm to get attention. Self Discipline Some toddlers inflict harm as a way to punish themselves for mischief or a mistake. How To Prevent Toddler Hitting Head With Hand If your toddler gets particularly tired at a certain time of day then ensure they have a routine nap time. This can result in your toddler hitting other people or themselves.

Remember, every toddler is different and will respond to different strategies. Try to keep all sharp objects away from them once you feel an episode is coming on. Put yourself physically in the way of the headbanging or head knocking to limit any long term damage Try to distract your toddler back to safety with soft toys or soft activates Use a polite voice to remind your toddler that hitting anyone including themselves is bad.

Keep a journal or diary of your routine and eliminate any triggers that may increase the chances of self-harm. For example, thirsty, hungry, tired, overstimulated and under-stimulated babies tend to revert to hitting themselves more often.