How to deal with a head banging two year old??

[PussinJimmyChoos]

DS is a terrible head banger when he has a tantrum! I think I may have accidentally reinforced it as after I put him down for naps in the past, he would whinge for a few minutes and I would ignore the whinging but when the headbanging started, I would dash in so he didn't injure himself so I think he's realised now that headbanging = mummy running into him.

I feel terrible about it all - what's the best way to stop it? I've just put him down for a nap as he was falling asleep in the car on the way back from our music class so I know he was tired and he went mad at being put in the cot and headbanged really bad! I took him out of the cot and put him on the floor of his room, shut the gate and then walked out to try and ignore it, but then he started crying badly and I couldn't bear it.

Help!!

not too much help im afraid
my sister was a head banger and my friends ds is a head banger

all the advise my mum and friend were given was to ignore

myn sister used to actually knock hersrlf out always had bruises over her head

she just grew out of it and my frriends ds is doing it less now talking is coming along

i think maaybe it is a case of just ignoring it and plcing them somewhere where they cant seriously harm themselves

is he talking at all maybe its frustration of being unable to communicate

if doesnt want to nap dont force him too sometimes my ds will cat nap and doesnt want to go to bed when he comes in had enough from short sleep

let him play for a bit and maybe lay him on sofa anything to reduce the frustration for him and you

good luck

He's talking fine so I don't think its the frustration of that. He headbangs in temper as well, not just before naps or bed time. The thing is, pre nap/bedtime I know without a doubt he's tired and he needs the nap and when we get past the tantrum he will nap for a solid hour or more so its for his own good that I push through the tantrum iyswim?

I'm frightened he's going to hurt himself. He headbanged the stairgates today just because I said no to chocolate!