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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

My 14 mo dd has started banging her head on the floor.

8 replies

mrsbarryscott · 27/09/2007 20:41

When she gets frustrated or tired my dd has started banging her head against things, mainly the floor or furniture.

I'm really worried she's going to really hurt herself. She doesn't cry when she does it but it sounds so loud I'm surprised she doesn't cry.

I do obviously stop her as soon as I start to see her do it - but could she just be doing it for attention (she likes a lot) or is it just a phase that other's have gone through?

OP posts:

Sidge · 27/09/2007 21:18

Mine didn't do this but I remember seeing it on the House of Tiny Tearaways! They suggested just lifting the child onto a beanbag when she is headbanging, and leave her to it. Without an audience they tend to run out of steam.

NAB3 · 27/09/2007 21:20

It is also quite common. Just move her so she can't hurt herself.

TheArmadillo · 27/09/2007 21:27

It is common.

Move her somewhere where she can't hurt herself and leave her to it.

Ds did it loads.

More disturbing for you than for them.

katiebirdie · 28/09/2007 21:10

My 14 month ds has started this kind of behaviour recently as well. he also hits head with his own hands, and today he was almost trying to head butt me. quite concerned about the behaviour as my only tactic is to stop him and try and distract. is there a better way to deal with it? tia

law3 · 28/09/2007 21:58

my ds used to be a head banger as well, ignore, ignore, ignore my only advice. I would add kids are not stupid, they dont hurt themselves, just head bang hard enough to give good effect!!

Distraction is brilliant if you can see a tantrum coming, once the tantrum has started usually made it worst for my ds.

hatwoman · 28/09/2007 23:53

my sil did it when she was little. iirc she had to do it 100 times before going to sleep. must have been old enough to count to 100. she's 37 now and reasonably sane. and as far as I know she doesn't do it anymore

Smithagain · 29/09/2007 20:01

My DD2 did it for a while, at a similar age. We ignored it for a few weeks. Then started gently saying "don't do that, it hurts" and trying to distract her. It stopped as suddenly as it started, and she shows no ill effects.

denbury · 29/09/2007 20:10

my j head banged for a couple of months. he would get a bruise then just as it was going he would head bang to get another bruise!!!!! he has grown out of it now. it was very much second child symdrome that i did't always have time to stop him quickly.he got bored!!!found that if he came to give me a coudle it got a better response.

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