DS is banging his head when mad/frustrated!

In the past few days, I've noticed that DS gets so mad that he'll literally bang his forehead on the hardwood floor. It's a hard hit that leaves a bruise too. If he's on carpet, he'll walk over to the hard floor and THEN bang his head. I know it's normal for an 18mo old to be frustrated, but has anyone experienced the head banging????

I just hate it so much - especially because I teach special ed and have a 13yr old student with Autism who does this all the time out of frustration or for attention. It's so disturbing to see and then to now have my son do it.... (I'm not trying to say I think DS has autism at all - it's just hard to watch someone self-injure themselves - that's all!)

If anyone has experienced this, please let me know what you've done. I have noticed that after he does it once, he will sometimes look at me before doing it again. So that tells me he's looking for the attention it brings him. I try to ignore him, but I also don't want him hitting his head on the floor like that so it's a catch-22..... HELP please!

Re: DS is banging his head when mad/frustrated!

Both of my kids do this and started around that age. Now they do it but they get to a place where they know they wont get hurt like carpet. I think its normal and wouldnt say its a warning sign of anything more serious. When he goes to do that I would just tell him don't you will get hurt.

Re: DS is banging his head when mad/frustrated!

Bobby did this too...he still does ...but not only when he's getting frustrated, but sometimes when he wants to get our attention. Ped. told us it was normal, and to completely ignore it. It's so hard...but after a week of totally ignoring it, he has stopped doign it MUCH less. He only does it every once in awhile now. He does the same thing tho... walks over to the hardwood to bang... not the carpet.

Re: DS is banging his head when mad/frustrated!

DS does this too! He hits his own head though He started a month or 2 ago. Its definitely when he's frustrated or when something happens, like if the dog comes walking over when the baby is eating a snack, or when he wants me to stop getting him dressed or something. I ask him are you hitting? And he stops immediately and hugs me. Its kind of embarrassing when he does it in public, (like putting him in a stroller or something). I dont know what to do either.

Re: DS is banging his head when mad/frustrated!

my son has been doing this for a while..he has gotten better and has learned that it really does hurt..as hard as it is..I tried to ignore it so he learned that it was painful to do!

when he doesnt get his way or is frustrated with a toy....He would wail his head back on our wood or tile floor from a sitting to a laying position..how he didn't have a concussion I have no clue!

now he will slowly go back and then only go fast the last couple of inches as if he knows it hurts less with less distance

Re: DS is banging his head when mad/frustrated!

check this out

http://www.babycenter.com/0_head-banging_11554.bc