Is Your Child a Head Banger? - First With Kids - UVM Children's Hospital

Parents have been heading me off at the pass with lots of questions about their babies who seem to enjoy banging their heads against the floor or crib. Let me see if I can provide some bang-up advice on this topic.
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[@annboleyn82]

Oh god I’m so glad I found this video my son does this he’s 17 months old I already thought he has autism. But to hear that took a bit away of my worries. He’ll be alright he usually does it when he’s frustrated because he can’t do this or that or when I say NO.

[@echoscope4278]

No it's normal for some kids.

[@kristac9809]

Is your son speaking? My son is 17 months and doesn’t speak. My son head bangs his head when he gets upset or anyone comes over and he’ll throw a tantrum😕

[@annboleyn82]

@@kristac9809 nah mine doesn’t yet. He understands basically everything but he doesn’t wanna talk. I’m sure he could but he is just not bothered. But I was a late talker as well started around 2.5 years. So did his dad. I looked it up and late talking can be genetically so maybe you ask around your close relatives and maybe there have been a couple late talkers as well. And my first born started really late as well and he’s 10 now and speaks perfectly fine. My best mates boy started really talking when he was 3. Boys are lazy af. The head banging is much less now since the weather is much better and lockdown here in the uk is easing up we spend loads of time in the fresh air.

[@kiarajones7420]

Same for mine and he ain’t even one yet

[@mariaelvas6785]

@@kristac9809 mine too. my 2 years old daughter do the same and don´t speak yet. She takes time to respond when i call her and dont say a word, only sing the musics of the cartoon and whatever she wants. she even call me mama. She will be evaluated next week.

[@ElliotsWC]

Thank you for this information I was very worried my son has been banging his head lately especially when he’s frustrated or in his crib he’s 35 years old and unemployed

[@albs1448]

😂😂😂

[@Jemimavictor]

As the primary care giver for my baby, I find my 1.9 year old child bangs his head for attention and watching your video and explanation is reassuring although I'm closely working with our pediatrician :) thank you for the knowledge and for sweetly explaining while smiling throughout, you conveyed warmth and care through a phone screen :)

[@akj1818]

This is crazy that I found this video. I was a head banger. I head banged in the car, and in my bed at night to fall asleep. Mind you, this was 40 years ago. My mother dragged me to a couple doctors and they all just shrugged. My grandmother was always afraid I was going to “knock my brain loose.” Glad to see it’s a normal part of some kids development. Even if I did do if we’ll past 3 years of age. Maybe 5? And very, very rarely I wake myself up at night head banging. But it’s rare. The last time I remember doing it I was in nursing school, and that’s been 11 years now. It must be a self soothing thing.

[@StackFactsVideos]

I do the same I just don't bang in the car anymore

[@doriscerrato6682]

Very helpful my son used to do this also around age 1 to 3yrs old now he is 4 and not doing it anymore I was sooo worried 🙏

[@AA4PJM]

I used to head bang as a child until I was about 15 years old. My little brother also did but stopped much sooner than I did. We grew up in a home where our parents constantly fought and shouted and my mother was very harsh when punishing us and we got hit quite a lot. I left home when I was 17 but continued to find it difficult to sleep without some kind of stimulation. I grew up a very shy person who has a lot of anxiety, I live alone and prefer to do everything alone. If I am stressed or anxious I still feel the need to move so I go for a run. I would say, don't just see headbanging as attention seeking, look at your child's environment. Does your child see you fighting or arguing with your partner, is your child worried or scared of something, does your child feel safe and secure? It could be something you are doing that is stressing your child out, even if they are really little .

[@kimdaniel5511]

Same I’m 18 and still do it. 😩

[@Absolutexmuslim]

I went to the doctors a lot and some doctors fr told me do i do it for attention. I just can't control it when im asleep.

[@aamina105]

🤗🤗🤗🤗

[@ozen8315]

Past 18 still head banging? Thats autism bruh..

[@StackFactsVideos]

I'm 14 and I do it only to sleep or when I'm relaxing in my bed

[@--zozo--]

Im 35 years old and still do this during the night to sleep.

[@sushi1350]

I'm 18 ✌✌

[@user-wt5ec7de1w]

I'm 12

[@kimdaniel5511]

@@sushi1350 same 😂

[@savagetribeofficial7915]

@@user-wt5ec7de1w I'm 11 and I do it😭 I even make my head bleed

[@arfahansari824]

My baby 8 months old he do this for sleep

[@leasick4891]

Yes..... I'm so relieved .. wish I found this video sooner before I cried my eyes out thinking that something was wrong with my 2 year old baby girl

[@Idreamofpannekoeken]

The metronome idea is genius. Our sound machine has a rythmic twinkle twinkle little star. Worked on my 18 month old to help him soothe while going to sleep

[@Torpito0]

My little sister on Christmas was frustrated that her doll couldn't stand, she threw herself on the table leaving a hug gash leaving a huge puddle of blood. We rushed to a clinic but they were closed so we just went to CVS for 1st aid kits. She's doing alright since I'm studying to be a Nurse and my brother a Doctor. We hope by Saturday she could get stitches

[@FeetFertilizer]

Our 2 year old rhythmically bangs his head at night before and during sleep cycles. He will also moan as if in a trance. I can tell when he does it he isn’t even aware. It’s like it’s automatic. We bought some pads to put around the crib which has helped because it got pretty loud. It’s hard NOT to notice or worry. Kid appears normal enough minus this.

[@Gamball_Memes]

when i get frustrated as hell i bang my head against smth so much until i don't feel that spot of my head and when i touch that spot of my head its mushy lol

[@samyakjain6795]

What's wrong with you?😐

[@berkeleybolin5176]

I did this since I was a baby (even to now every now and then when I’m under a lot of stress & I’m 28) according to my family but it was never for attention, if anything I was trying to get away from anyone (I guess almost like an escape? It was the most effective way to relieve my stress). I did grow up in a very loud, chaotic, very stressful environment with my family though. So I did it almost daily when I was a child. I’m a female... have a part time job in my profession and also working on my masters currently with no long term effects (that I know of lol) & No autism. But I will say, for me personally, the purpose of doing this was the opposite of trying to seek attention. If anything, I’d do my best to hide it because it worried my family. But it was almost drug-like to do to be able to relax. Definitely some sort of dopamine involvement IMO.

[@laurenwalker557]

I'm 31 and still do it in my sleep

[@operationssouthaid6683]

Thanks a lot doctor, my son does it too. He is one year and a half and our first child so you never know what to expect.

[@sharansekhon4887]

My son does the same , he bangs his head on his high chair and on the sides of his crib. I am very very worried, he is 13 months old.

[@kingofthesouth1125]

Hello I would love to know if he is still doing it cos our son is just 14 months

[@GMaXimus95]

I done it in bed for years when I was a kid. Than I didnt for many years. Now I'm 24 and Im doing it again since a few months when I had a smaller trauma...

[@404_d3]

I am 31 years old I am still doing this. Like shaking? Rolling? Head in pillow. My mom was worried a bit... But noticing nothing rare in my abilities during day. I can bang or hit my head brutally if I feel stressed during day, that's definetly harmful (I try to avoid) At the moment to sleep I mumble too. Depending or energy or stress I do, more less. If physical activity during day was massive or I'm very well consumed in my interest, I can sleep as a rock. I don't want to stop it, rolling, it's relaxing. I have had memory problems but it's more due to med for controlling my rage when I get frustrated bcs ppl aren't concequent in what they say and actions (not the sarcarsm verbal resource..., almost everything)... But well, med helps me with that disproportional feel when socializing

[@StackFactsVideos]

I am 14 years old an I bang my head to go to sleep or when I'm just relaxing and laying down. It's a bad habit but I don't think it's a problem.

[@tikaroxanne7286]

I’m Going crazy, I can’t sleep unless I pick him up. He will do it nonstop so I can’t possibly leave him to do it. I’ll try distracting him instead of picking him up.

[@maxineespinoza7022]

my nephew does it when he's angry, he gives himself bumps n bruises on his forehead. He does not do this when it's just me and him, only when his parents or my mom his grandma is around. It's stressing me out when i see this behavior and it doesn't ever stop, he's 2.

[@shanhubner4105]

so helpful thank you!! our baby monitor broke a while ago and only just managed to get it working again so this morning when i saw that what i though was just her rattling the side of her crib was actually head banging i almost cried with panic and been worrying about it all day now i know its not going to harm her i can calm down a little lol

[@DianaGonzalez-qy1pn]

Hello ! What did you do too help him stop my son is 4 and he started doing this a few moths ago

[@brook7155]

I'm 16, and I have been head banging since I cold walk, crawl, talk. I have recently been getting worse tho, as I now tend to do it all night, and I now have to blast music through my earphones to stop the sounds from making me scared. I'm not sure what to do with it anymore. I'm loosing more and more sleep.

[@skyecarabotta]

I thought I was the only one, I have the same problem

[@brook7155]

@@skyecarabotta I thought I was the only one too, especially at 16. I just wonder if it's what people would call 'normal'. And no one is ever taught about it, which I think is why not many people think others have it. I've had doctors and nurses laugh at me for it to. It is hard not to do it, and I just wish that everyone could understand that.

[@imanoakyboy]

Wow. This is crazy. I have the same problem. I listen to music and head bang ed for most of my life, because if I don't, noises and sounds at night freak me out. I have been laughted at as well for this. I have never know anyone else who does this.

[@imanoakyboy]

Also kzbin.info/www/bejne/bZzWhXejadigbdk kzbin.info/www/bejne/aWivZYGwm9R-h7M

[@aaliyahcostella]

I’ve never related to something so much, I’m 18 and I literally bang my head against my pillow with music blasting through my ears to get to sleep otherwise I can’t sleep

[@LittlePinkMew]

My daughter is 18 months and doing on the crib rail. She has a bruise on her head and I have no clue how to stop it. I can’t ignore it because she will do it nonstop and hurt herself. Please help.

[@jukey50282]

I’m going through this now. My daughter is 18 months and has been banging her head for a while. She is banging her head as I write this. It has slowed down a lot. I ask the doc numerous of time but he keep saying it’s normal. I guess they do it for comfort and because they are bored. She will grow out of it. Just ignore it, they do it for attention.

[@starrgonzales2224]

Try to ignore or distract. What if he has knots and bruises?

[@arfahansari824]

Thank you so much for this information. My baby banging his head from 7months He is now 8 months 10 days old. I was worried about his side. Mostly he do this while he was trying to sleep on his own.

[@priya87g]

Thank you Doctor this is so helpful. You have such a pleasant way to explain stuffs. 😊

[@samuelindrajith7471]

Thank you Doctor

[@rezmes100]

Thank you for your precious videos. What if, even at the age of seven, the child continues to gently bang his head against a soft object (like his or mine) when he is overstimulated? He had two seizures before the age of two. Prior to the seizure episodes in both cases, he had a low-grade fever (around 37.5 degrees), but it spiked to 38.5-39 degrees 20 minutes later. Following the second incident, he received oral levetiracetam as part of a meticulous preventive regimen until the age of four. He has flat soles, two bright birthmarks that are hard to tell apart in color, and a small range of motion in his hands and feet. There are no other obvious problems. He attends classes and doesn't experience any problems with learning. He has friends, learns well (and occasionally slightly better than his classmates), and has no physical developmental delays.

[@kodteezy815]

I'm afraid that this has something to do with all of this new pandemic crap going on, none of my kids does this but my post covid baby

[@StackFactsVideos]

No I do the same and have been for a while now. It's more like a bad habit and trust me it can be stopped if they still continue with this behavior I just chose not to stop

[@DrZhivago-l2b]

my brother does it when we tell him no. i find it hilarious and cute

[@NoNameNoFace-rr7li]

i can actually can remember doing this...i did it against a lathed plastered wall...why?..because i could hear the plaster fall in the wall when i banged against it. I was curious about the noise...(i have vivid memories that begin when i was about 15 months old and this is one of them).

[@ruthkwatemaa8056]

Am from Ghana and I have a 3 years child who still bangs his head against the bed when going to bed or even when sleeping am terrified and worried when I see him doing that What should I do?

[@shantatv3185]

Omg my little brother used to do this as a baby I thought he would get damaged but he is completely fine at 14 now. He was so angry as a baby it scared me 😆

[@betesaudades]

My 2 years does it during the day as well. Can it happen during the day without be a neurological disease? I’m so scared. I’ve noticed it happens every time I tell him no, when I talk form with him, if he sees me angry with his daddy My son does it during the night as well , also while sleeping and when he wakes up. He suffer from absence seizures since 18 months. He had a really bad Covid and then all these stuff appeared.

[@dolife226]

Im a bit worried cause my 2 year old does it all the time. When hes happy or when he just Wanna relax etc. I try to to stop him But he just gets himselfs a own place on the couch and continues. And my fear is that maybe he Will not function in life later on. But i put my faith in Jesus christ on this he knows my sorrows. Please pray for my son so this Will stop.

[@kelseyfrazier1266]

It's his way..I was born doing it....its soothing to us...I am a very peaceful and hardworking father now and I remember exactly why I did it...for self comfort...he will stop

[@tahliyahrodriguez903]

I’m 15 and I still do it when I’m tired, in the car and bored 😭

[@dolife226]

Kelsey Frazier Really thanks man for your answer! I nearly thought that he Will stuck that way maybe not being able to work etc. Glad things has turned out well 4 u. Bless

[@arielmcneil4149]

Im an adult and still do this what should you do

[@shannenlibres2365]

Go to a mosh pit

[@User-Handler-5634]

I’m 12 and I do it and my head starts to hurt after and it scares me.

[@robh647]

Can't you stop? What makes you do it that's the more important question thanks

[@arielmcneil4149]

Rob H No im not even aware im doing it my girlfriends tells me and my head hurts when i wake up so i know

[@maram2724]

At the moment my baby will turn 2 and he has been banging his head for a year now, most of the times when he sleeps. He would do it before when he was awake but i would hold his head so he won't bang it whit anything. And I have never seen any of my kids do this. And I do have a brother in law who has Autism so now it makes me wonder if my baby may be having some of those episodes

[@rashmir5241]

Thanks doctor. A kind of soothening advice 🙂

[@coolguybutdrawndifferently]

Thanks

[@erikapuno3163]

Thank you Doc that was helpful to know because my daughter always bangs her head if she feels frustrated or if she doesn’t get what she wants.

[@jyamjoy]

Same thing with my toddler now

[@ladyp5420]

Hi. Has it stopped? My 21 months old and she does this when she is angry or doesn't get his way.

[@sathyaezhilan8287]

My son is 15 months old he bangs his head while falling asleep and in middle of sleeping, is it normal

[@celestepaces8021]

Very reassuring thanks

[@Blu_Slime]

Thank you so much!

[@roberthowells8044]

Thank you!

[@kimdaniel5511]

I still do it and I’m 18. 😩

[@ghannah7770]

my baby throw his head back and forward sometimes during the feed，he is now2 month old，he stared in the first month. May i ask if that can damage his brain？

[@orko6066]

Thank you doctor

[@Robert-xk9no]

I'm not concerned with development delays I'm concered with brain damage and I disagree with your conclusion that they can't

[@advaith854]

THANK YOU FOR THIS SIR

[@gwendolyn_man3332]

I am trying to stop because I started bleeding from it a couple days ago

[@yeetlizard458]

If baby’s R still growing their minds and it’s ok for them to head bang. Why do my parents say it’s bad for me???

[@jeffersonleecanete6666]

thank you so much

[@abhishekchatterjee1077]

Thank you sir for your valuable information.🇮🇳🙏

[@rosaliecorpuz618]

Thank you ☺️💖

[@jareenasani519]

Tell me head banging causes problems to talk

[@barnesbarnes3145]

It's bot normal people . I did it until I was 13..I was in special Ed only because I comprehended things slowly..I'm 50 shake my legs and get to go to bed still! Fyi I think it was something like kids have now days

[@francescatorres9846]

Do you recommend The same advice of my 15 month old kids himself in the face and it’s also a head banger

[@EnchantedSmellyWolf]

Or my brother's 3 year old son who refuses to get him checked.

[@laceyxxxLove]

Great video thank you!!!!

[@TheYellowTuxedo]

My baby kinda just randomly will head butt stuff. He thinks its funny. Just random things at random times.

[@suvidhyapadalkar3860]

Thanks doc

[@martashea159]

Ignoring doesn't work and my child is getting bruised on forehead

[@atefmoawad4989]

Good bless you

[@renantemendoza4853]

Hello doctor.. My son 3years old if he want go out side and play and if you dont want or anything he want and you dont give him he cry and headbang his head on the floor.. What the best we did to decipline my toddler?

[@nishantmishra159]

How is your baby now . I have a 20 month old son who does the same while we try to bring him back from park after playing . Did you find a solution . Please suggest ..

[@SpedTedinBed]

Bro I’m 17 and I still do this

[@EmeraldCityDiggers]

My son has CP, shunt g tube etc, slams his head on ground or punches himself hard, also hits mom only 7 years old non verbal🤷🏼‍♂️

[@HackerActivist]

this video is about healthy normal kids. your child probably needs ot and sensory help

[@thatomakhele4512]

i wish i can afford to take my child to a specialist, she is turning 7 years and still head banging... she is not performing well at school, she can't even play with other children... any advice please 🙏🙏🙏

[@EmeraldCityDiggers]

Any update just saw your post my 7 year old still hits and throws, special needs , has CP

[@sarithabuddula9346]

How is ur child

[@DAYDAY111ROBINSON]

My son band his head on me and the bed multiple times in a row

[@hafsashah5779]

what about you son now?

[@johncross7088]

Damn didnt know babies could get into metal 🤘🤘

[@maisyrams2396]

Yes I bash my head today

[@dawsoncarpenter8883]

I’m 12 and every night I wake up banging my head on my pillow it feels good idk why but when I was 10 i remember waking up to my brother sounding really worried and he said “are you ok?” And I was so confused I said yes? And he said “you were banging your head on the wall I could hear you from up stairs” and he said I was doing it full force and I didn’t feel any pain on my head then a few days later I felt really wierd and the walls looked stretched and I had to lean on stuff to walk and I told my mom I felt wierd and she was stretched out in my vision and she hugged me before she went to work and everything was fading black and I felt so dizzy it was fading black kind in like when you have low iron but like a day later I put ramen in my microwave without water and nothing made sense and I was about to cry because I was so confused and it was stressing because I was worried something was wrong with me but it went away after like 4 days could it have been a concussion?

[@SHINTENKI]

Some

[@SHINTENKI]

I meant same

[@misterb4352]

You should tell people around you, in my opinion. You could go on an appointment to see if medical professionals can help. Take care Dawson

[@joanemercival2788]

She sleeping in wake up at night

[@alanlopez8811]

Just buy your child a helmet

[@melissafoster5869]

This is crap!!!!! It does harm the child. We are having to deal with developmental delays because my step sons mother would stick him in a crib and let him head bang. He is 3 and cant say more than 10 words. He has a huge lump on his head from being able to head bang for a year straight. We finally won 50/50 custody and now he is delayed in so many things because the mother was told this is normal and okay.. THIS IS NOT OKAY BEHAVIOR! THIS DOES HARM THE CHILD. TAKE ALL PRECAUTIONS TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING!!

[@StackFactsVideos]

Sorry to say but I think they're was something wrong with the child because never has that happened to me in 14 years

[@tikaroxanne7286]

I believe you..I think drs say that when they simply don’t have a solution smh this shit is so frustrating 😢

[@starrgonzales2224]

We started spanking our little one to stop him from head banging. (Isn't working obviously) and I really just don't like spanking him. It breaks my heart. There has to be something different that we can do to help him/ discipline as well

[@StackFactsVideos]

I do it and it can be stopped you just have to implement a good sleeping routine. Sleep with him for a while and stop him from doing it