15 month old started banging his head against things

[cheekychopsmum]

Over the last week my DS has started to bang his head against the nearest thing (eg chair, wall, door, my leg) when he doesn't get what he wants. At first I ignored it and just tried to divert his attention hoping that as he didn't get a reaction he'd stop doing it, but that hasn't worked as he is still doing it. Today I said to him "don't hurt your head" and rubbed it better, but he is still doing it.

Should I be worried and what can I do to stop him?

Also he will try to hit my face or pull my glasses off if I am holding him and say "no" to him.

I am worried incase he is showing signs of behavioural problems.

Hiya, my DS (14 months) has started doing the same. He also hits me/his head as well. I agree that is is worrying (he might be hurting himself but think at the same time its just another experimental thing he is doing. Like blowing raspberries and kisses (which is infinitely cuter, obviously).

I just say "no, we don't hit mummy/ourselves" and leave it. If he is angry I say "No, hitting (or in his case, having a strop) will not get you what you want."

No signs of success so far, but I am hoping he'll get the message soon.

Good luck

My DD is the same age and tantrums have just kicked in really badly.

It's a shock. I wasn't expecting them for a while.

we have an 18mo head banger here. he does not do it much. i think he is just exploreing that he has something he can't see.

Thanks for your responses, you're making me feel a little better!
It seems like he is at an age where he is going through lots of changes in personality as he is learning more. He is also very jealous of me or his dad playing with another child or even cuddling his teddies. I'm hoping it is just a phase he is going though as we are hoping to try for another baby soon...

DS is 15mnths too and also has been doing this. Went through a really bad patch of numerous times a day for over a week, has calmed down now though.

Hoping its just a phase, seems common enough.

I ignored, as he wouldnt do it hard enough to seriously hurt himself.

My DD (now 18 mths) started this at the same age. She started by banging her head on the wooden floors or the TV cabinet and these obviously hurt. We paid no attention and if she does it at all now she does it on the sofa cushions - she soon learnt not to do it against anything hard!

DD also 15 months has started this, she has already learnt it hurts though and now makes more of a pretence of doing it than actually banging hard like she did at the start.

I guess its a sign of things to come