18mo dd having tantrums and punching self in the head - HELP!!!!!!!!!!!

[thefunkypea]

DD has alway had v decided opinions on what she does and doesn't want to do, but if I say no to her now, she doesn't just cry and throw herself about, she also balls up her fists and punches herself in the head (I can hear the noise it makes, she does it that hard). I've tried to stop her, and either hold her hands or put my hands in the way, but that didn't seem to help. I'm now trying to just ignore it, and distract her with something else - toy, activity, cuddles etc. She's been doing this for about 3 weeks, and I'm not sure what to do. I'm hoping that this is 'just one of those things', and she'll grow out of it, but it's so horrible to watch, and I find it v upsetting. I am trying to pick my battles, and only say 'no' when it matters, but I am getting this reaction almost every time. Advice?

[thefunkypea]

anyone?

[Kewcumber]

My DS did this too, its frusttration - I tried everything eventually I would either ignore or very absentmidedly reach out and stop him doing it whilst talking to him about something else. He stopped doing it eventually but I can't remember how long it took.

It is upsetting but she's not really hurting herself.

[thefunkypea]

Thanks v much Kewcumber

[loc]

Had similar with DS at about same age, but he head bangs the floor, hard. Horrible. I tried a few techniques depending on how stressed I was before it happened, and found most success by grabbing him before he did it and holding him so he couldn't. When I ignored him he just kept doing it. He stopped doing it after a few weeks but has lately started doing it again at 21 months. It always seems worse when he is tired. I think it is a good idea to choose your battles and be strict when it is something iomportant. And the distraction thing is great if you see it coming in time.

[thefunkypea]

I read a thread on mn about headbangers, so it seems there are a lot of frustrated lo's about, I just haven't come across anyone else who's had experience of a lo hitting themselves. I guess it's completely the same frustation, but a different way of expressing it. Just wish they wouldn't. Hey ho.

[Kewcumber]

DS never headbanged - always hit heimself. I had a theory that it casued attention but didn't hurt as much as headbanging! DS did lapse a fwe times but only for fairly short periods. At 2.4 I can;t remember the last time he did but I seem to remember that it took several months to go completely