Help - Headbutting?

[kaylouise2184]

My DS is 16months. When he is tired/frustrated/can't get his own way he starts head butting things = walls floors doors even me or DP. Anyone else experienced this and do i ignore it or intervene in some way. Please help x

We are just coming out of this....at age 2 years 3 months! Sorry! He looked shocking some days with black bruises on his head etc, we tried moving him, trying to stop him getting to that point etc, but only ignoring it made any difference :( As his speech developed things got better, he doesnt do it at all now just takes the position!

Thank you so much for your reply. It helps to know he is not the only one that does this. I know what you mean about the bruises I had to take him the doctors a couple of days ago and I kept thinking what will they think when we turn up and he has a massive bruise on his head x

Not sure I have any advice as such but our DS1 did this too. From about the age of 20 months to just over 2 years.

Oh! how we laugh about it now..... (he is 7) the most memorable time was trying to sign the papers for buying our house and he decided to start having a total melt down in the solicitors, headbutting the wall!

It is horrible though, you worry for them and there is nothing you can do to stop the judgy eyes of others in public.

Watching out that they are not too tired or hungry seemed to help.

thanks we have noticed it is worse when he is tired, but it can just come out of the blue. Today he got frustrated because we wouldnt let him go upstairs and continually head butted the door. If we tried to stop him he got worse but it was horrible to ignore and let him do it. x

Yep, DD's been doing this for a few months now - she's 14mo. It looks terrible doesn't it? She'll headbutt the floor mid-tantrum or the wall, side of her cot and I worry about her as she's a right little monkey too and always banging her head trying to run around and jump all over the furniture as it is. She really doesn't need to do it deliberately as well!

Oh I know was so shocked when Ds started doing this. He will find anything to do it on floors, walls, doors and the cot being particular favourites.

She really doesn't need to do it deliberately as well!

Yes same here x

Ds bangs his hands on his head, so fewer bruises but still hard to watch. It seems to be a reaction to frustration. For bruises of all types I use arnicare cream, from chemist or supermarket, a small amount on any bruise within an hour dramatically reduces the bruise and time to heal.

Ignore! Dd1 used to do this and I worried until the day I saw her scoot over from the bare floorboards to the rug before she started banging her head. It's attention seeking.