# need help!my toddler is still hitting his head on the floor



## rainbowmoon (Oct 17, 2003)

I posted about this in toddlers a few weeks ago..thought I would try here for more advice.

anyway my 16mo bangs his head on things when he is mad. it happens when he's frustrated and screams and cries and tantruming. this has been going on for a couple of months. he has had a constant bruise on his head for like a week now and I'm worried he's going to give himself a concussion or something as he does it on the hard floor.

how can I get him to stop this?!? is this abnormal behavior for a 16mo?


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## nicholas_mom (Apr 23, 2004)

Dr. Althea on her website http://www.awareparenting.com/ recommends when a child tantrums and is NOT safe, throwing things to hitting....to gently but firmly hold the child during this time. It is also recommeded in the book "Playful Parenting".

Ds (at around 17 months) would drop to the floor and tried to hit his head but it hurt him and he would cry more. So, I always held him to help him thru his tantrum. It has helped. At around 2 yrs old he nows like to NOT to be held (I had to be bonked in the head to get this







), and will cry and then come to me for hugs or nurses.









Good Luck!


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## lechepatito (May 24, 2005)

Check out this link:

http://www.drgreene.com/21_578.html

My favorite part of that article (since my DD was a head banger, too):

_Curiously, the one large study of this habit in 525 healthy children found head-bangers to be measurably advanced compared to their peers (Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, Aug 1977). If anything, then, head-banging in healthy children is a sign of increased intelligence._


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## lizziejean (Feb 8, 2003)

My ds (now just turned 3) has done this off and on since he was about 2. At first, I was just happy he was hurting himself when he was angry, instead of everyone else which was my older dd's approach! but seriously... what I did, which has mostly worked, is try to pay NO ATTENTION to it at all, while simultaneously preventing him from hurting himself. So there's us at the kitchen table. He gets mad, starts banging his chin HARD on the table... I reach over and cup my hand under his chin without any eye contact or words, and just keep eating with my other hand, as if my outstretched arm is not attached to my body... or, he's stretched out on his tummy on the floor, banging his chin on the wood, and I'm sitting next to him with my hand under his chin, out of his range of vision, still talking to my dd or reading a book or whatever. This has been super effective, and his teacher at nursery school did it too. Now he'll do it once in a blue moon but not very hard... and I pay no attention and he gives up. Of course I also worked hard to deal with the tantrums in other ways - avoid triggers, give extra attention and hugs during the calm times, work on communication - signs, picture choice boards etc. It really worked.


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## FreeRangeMama (Nov 22, 2001)

My 22 mo old did this for several months. It got so bad that he constantly had several serious bruises and swelling on his forehead. I cut out the dairy and he stopped immediately! I don't know if the allergy affected his behaviour or if he just felt so "yucky" from it that he was cranky and irritable. Whatever the reason he has now stopped completey! Just thought I would mention it.


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## nicholas_mom (Apr 23, 2004)

Interesting thing about the dairy allergy.

I also wanted to add that the makers of Hyland's Teething Tablets make "Bumps and Bruises" homeopathic remedy. I give him this remedy when he trips and falls or accidentially bangs his head. It works great to keep the bruises away. I actually see the red come and go away as soon as I give him this remedy.


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## corwinegall (Jul 7, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *lechepatito*
Check out this link:

http://www.drgreene.com/21_578.html

My favorite part of that article (since my DD was a head banger, too):

_Curiously, the one large study of this habit in 525 healthy children found head-bangers to be measurably advanced compared to their peers (Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, Aug 1977). If anything, then, head-banging in healthy children is a sign of increased intelligence._


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## rainbowmoon (Oct 17, 2003)

thanks so much for all the info & advice..I appreciate it!


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## Venice Mamacita (Dec 24, 2003)

DS is 27 m/o, and has been banging his head when angry/overwhelmed/frustrated/tantruming since he was 16 months or so. It's horrifying to me & DH, so I'm grateful for the Dr. Greene link. It's a relief to know DS won't really hurt himself, although during a "bad week" he does walk around with a bruised & bumpy forehead.

It's very difficult for me to ignore him when he does this, but I'm working on it. Also, if I can see he's about to bang, I try to intervene by hugging him and talking about his feeling ("Boy, you're really angry, aren't you?").

Children really are marvels at getting attention. My larger goal is to consistently give him positive attention and focus on his nice behavior . . . it's so easy to succumb to the negative attention trap.


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## lnitti (Jun 14, 2004)

dd just turned 16 months, and she's been doing this now for about a month. When she gets upset, she bangs her forehead. If she's in her high chair, she bangs it on the table. If she's on the floor, she gets on hands and knees (or sits) and bangs her forehead on the floor.

She also throws things when she's mad too.


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## Venice Mamacita (Dec 24, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *lnitti*
She also throws things when she's mad too.

DS, too. Or bangs something on the floor. All of which he knows will get a response from us.







: Still working on ignoring the negative behavior and focusing on the positive . . . I successfully ignored a minor head-banging this morning, but DS wasn't really that angry . . . he was just checking to see how I'd react.


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