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 Question:

I’m a new nanny for a baby boy who sometimes knocks his head on the side of his playpen. His mother says it’s nothing to worry about. Could there be something wrong with him and is he in danger of hurting himself?

 Response:

Although this behavior can be distressing for those caring for young children, up to 20 percent of healthy children are head-bangers early in life. This behavior is considered normal like other self-stimulating habits, including thumb sucking and pulling/twisting hair. Head-banging usually appears during the first year of life and generally is outgrown by three years of age. Boys are observed to be up to four times more likely to be head-bangers than girls. For some children, head-banging is a way to release tension and prepare for sleep while others bang their heads out of frustration or anger, as in a temper tantrum. This behavior can last for several minutes, and even continue once the child has fallen asleep. Generally, healthy children don’t seriously injure themselves from this behavior as pain prevents them from banging too hard. Another common concern is if head-banging behavior means a child has autism. While head banging is more commonly observed in children with autism spectrum disorders, this habit is a normal behavior observed in healthy children and does not necessarily suggest an early sign of autism.