To worry about my son's headbutting

[MuminMilan]

I have a 15 month old ds who headbutts everything: stone floors, walls, windows, toys, me. Usually it is a reaction to bring told off, but sometimes he just puts his head down and runs into the French windows. When he headbuts me it really hurts me, so he must be hurting himself, but he continues to do it. Needless to say I try to catch him where I can, but he has got it down to a fine art... AIBU to worry that this is weird behaviour (and that he could hurt himself) or is it normal at this just a phase?

Ds is a headbutter. He tends to do when he is not allowed something & has a tantrum. I think I literally swooped down & made such a huge fuss the first few times,he then did it to really cause the reaction.
I now move him if it's near sharp edges/concrete floor & either ignore (but not really) or distract.
He does it less often these days.

ds1 was a headbutter from about 16 months till about 2.5 and it accompanied his tantrums. It was terrifying and I couldn't believe he wouldn't do himself real damage but he grew out of it, thankfully. My hv said it wasn't uncommon and that he wouldn't really hurt himself. He didn't but it still looked bloody scary to watch him launch across the living room and hit the wall head first.

Thank you for all the really helpful messages. I think it is, in part, a communication thing as we live in Italy so he is learning two languages and gets more exposure to Italian as he goes to the nursery everyday. i have to admit that iI don't always understand what he is saying as well as the staff at the nursery, and i think that he does it more with me than there.

I do always try to at least get my hand in the way to catch him from really hurting himself, and have given him a cushion as well, but I'm not always quick enough. Am sure as many have said it is just a phase, but I was hoping for a couple of months whilst it sounds that I might be looking at a couple of years!

It was only a couple of months for my DS, if that. Interestingly, he's in a bilingual environment too. He's 19 months now and his speech is pretty clear, so I wonder if it is related.

Another two bilingual headbutters here too. Only lasted a few months as well. But don't rule out teething/ molars either! In our case I'm sure the two were related....

Oh my DS was a headbutter. Not much language made him very frustrated. I ignored it, was horrible, even when he'd do it on the patio. Lasted a few months then suddenly stopped.

I don't wish to frighten you but he's since been diagnosed as autistic but it's not necessarily an ASD thing. Get him to the HV if you are worried about his communication, don't hang about.

• I mean 'especially when he'd do it on the patio'

Please don't worry about the ASD thing, I just wanted to point out it was down to his communication skill - part of the package of him. FWIW he doesn't stop talking now. Ever.