Head Banging
This hasn't been an "issue" for a while so I havn't blogged about it. He used to bang his head and body into walls and such. He stopped about a year ago. But I'm starting to wonder something.
Should I be trying to stop him from banging his head if he's only banging it against his mattress in the morning and at night??? I always just dismissed it as self-regulatory or deep sensory something or other and so I havn't tried to stop him.
Anyone see any point in doing so? (stopping him I mean)
Should I be trying to stop him from banging his head if he's only banging it against his mattress in the morning and at night??? I always just dismissed it as self-regulatory or deep sensory something or other and so I havn't tried to stop him.
Anyone see any point in doing so? (stopping him I mean)
posted by mumkeepingsane | 4:51 AM
5 Comments:
I haven't stopped it with my eldest... I just controlled the where.
As he became more and more verbal we could get into "bad behaviour" discussions. Slamming our head off of Mom's chairs, the staircase, walls etc was out. He could use a pillow, the floor, or his hand.
Everything else was put onto the "no" list. Which since Time out was a bust - confined space even though he was sitting on the stairs and able to see the living room and the tv - we went with taking away things. TV being a good one since it's on all the time in this house (not my idea - Father is as bad as the eldest).
Unless he's truly ticked at me now... headbanging is gone. Also, with the callus gone.. it hurts. Which has also helped.
I don't think it should fall into the "well he has autism so it's ok" category. But then again... there's a lot of things parents do that I wouldn't that fall under that category.
S.
I would try and substitute the head banging with something else. Our daughter would use a chewy tube for a while or deep pressure. Check out http://www.southpawenterprises.com/
They have a lot of sensory stuff.
Of course some children will not accept a substitution. You may want to ask Casdok at Mother of Shrek's blog.http://motherofshrek.blogspot.com/
She has an older son who is autistic and head bangs.
When I was a pre-school teacher, I knew a few NT kids who put themselves to sleep this way at rest time. It wasn't a hard banging, more of a thumping. We never worried about it because it didn't seem harmful.
YES!!!!
Headbanging for my son is a big issue, and is easier to deal with when they are young.
And if you can catch it early enough-do!
Distraction or if it is a sensory thing try and find something else he can do, which may give him a similar sensation?
I hate the head banging which comes and goes in phases although I can't determine why. I usually drag them to the trampolene and hope it works as a displacement activity although it doesn't always work.
BEst wishes
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