To Be Concerned? 9 Mo. Old Knocking Head to Sleep

Like you, I thought this sounded strange...when my son was an infant I sang and rocked him to sleep, and even at almost 3 yrs I still rock him when he's not feeling good. So, I looked it up on-line and this seemed to be the most comprehensive explaination.

Good Luck!

http://pediatrics.about.com/od/weeklyquestion/a/08_head_b...

My sister-in-law did and still does this to relax and fall asleep--she's 40! If the ped isn't concerned, I wouldn't be either.

N.,

Are you using the cry it out method with your child when you put his down? If so, that is most likely the cause of the head banging.

This is your baby's tactic to self-soothe.

Crying is their best attempt at communication, and when that is ignored, frustration builds up inside their bodies (imagine if you were crying for help and you were ignored - it feels like that, only worse, since they have no expereince to reassure them in the abstract that their circumstance will ever improve. It feels bad, and all they know is that it will continue to feel bad forever unless they receive what they need right away.)

If you are using the "cry it out" method, then instead you could try holding you baby until he falls asleep. Or you could try a sling. Your baby just wants you.

Also, I highly recommend reading "The Aware Baby" -- I think you will love it.

Lots of Love,
Linda
www.RivieraPlaySchool.com

I would do some research! There is some stuff online about self soothing, and other things that could be causing it! If you ever have doubts get a second opinion! Always follow your gut!

My brother did this all through his toddler years and now he's an oral surgeon. He's by far the smartest of all of us. Maybe your little man is a genius in the making:) In all seriousness, he came out fine. In fact, I believe that my mom did this as a child as well and she's fine too. I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Take care!

Hi N..

Though many mothers might disagree with me, I think you should rock your baby to sleep or pat him on the butt (while in bed, causing movement) till he falls asleep. I know it's easier for us "Mothers" to have them fall asleep on their own but, if he feels the need to feel movement to fall asleep and it's a matter of only 5 - 10 minutes - then why not help him get there? This will ensure he will go to sleep without having to bang his head around.

My babies (2 1/2 yrs. & 10 months) never did this and I hadn't heard of this before. It could be something completely normal but, I too would be very concerned. I know most babies enjoy movement - this is why they fall asleep in the car, the swing and while rocking them. My son will fight his sleep a bit but, once I lay him down on his belly and start patting him he begins to "sing" and falls right to sleep.

I run a very busy schedule, I work full time, have two little babies and a husband that thinks I'm a housewife when it comes to cooking & cleaning (wish he would think that when it's time to pay the bills) so I know it's hard to take those 5 -10 minutes to put him to sleep BUT, I do enjoy the bonding time. They grow so fast so I don't feel bad having to take that time to help him get to sleep, I feel tired but, I think it helps him feel more secure and closer to Mommy.

Again, a lot of Moms will disagree and say they should fall asleep on their own - I don't mind helping them while they're small. My daughter is 2 1/2 now and she's been falling asleep on her own since she was about 14 or 15 months with no problems. I just think they need a little help when they're smaller and I enjoy the bonding time.

Hope this helps.

Good luck!!!

Hi N.-

I did that when I was in elementary school. I would bang my head down on my pillow. I honestly don't know why, but it helped me sleep. It's funny, like the other mommy, I thought I was the only one that did that and I've never told anyone that I did that.

Good luck!

My 9 mo old boy just started wacking himself in the head and grinding his teeth to sleep. Oh, boy I hope this passes soon! I have read that these are normal behaviors for babies, so I am not that concerned. As long as they are not hurting themselves...

I am not sure this will help you at all but I remember my little sister used to do that when she was about that age. She would rock on her knees and hands in her crib and literally bang the top of her head into the headboard. it would go on for at least 20 minutes or so. We strapped on a big flat foam core pillow.
The doctor said it just was a sensory thing, or a way to deal with over stimulation of the day

Today she is 30 years old and totally fine. :) she would hate me if she'd know I told you...lol

Hi N.,
From what I've read this is just his way of decompressing. It may seem weird, he just has his unique way of putting himself to sleep.
Best,
S.

I think your doctor is right- nothing to worry about. My niece did this a lot when she was a baby to the point where she "wore off" her hair at the place where she banged. She is now a mother herself and suffered absolutely no reprecussions from this behavior- either as a child or since. G.

I am a mother of (3) my oldest is 11 years old. And I also have a large extended family in which I have done quite alot of babysitting over the years. I have never witnessed or heard of a child slamming his head on the mattress in order for him to sleep or on his back turning his head side to side. Most of the time I usually rock them to sleep or take them for a drive while they are in their car seat. The rocking motion helps them fall asleep. Maybe you should try that and monitor him to see if he continues to turn his head side to side.

N.,

My younger brother did this when he was first born through age 7 or 8. As he got older, the headslamming transitioned around age 2 to doing it on the wood floor, non stop. He would cry while doing it and would get bruises. He grew up with learning disabilities and ended up at around age 8 going into special ed classes where he continued up through the 12th grade. The doctors said he had an inability to socialize as most children do. Back in the 1970's they put him on the drug Ritalyn, which was a pretty severe treatment. He was not autistic but displayed (and continues to do so, at age 41) lifelong issues with an ability to connect with other people at a very basic level, as well as an inability to manage his emotions proactively.

If I were you, I'd get a second opinion with a different pediatrician, just to make sure. I am NOT trying to alarm you, but keep an eye on this. If he continues for another month or so and is hurting himself, take him to a different pediatrician.

How did he go to sleep before he was 4 months old? do you hold him or let him cry it out?
M..

its normal and as long as his dr isnt concerned you shouldnt be either. it sounds like hes trying to wear himself out to sleep. (like hes mentally tired just not physically). does he know anyother way to put himself to sleep. my 2yr old daughter pats her chest to goto sleep. i have patted her chest like that since she was 4 months. my twin nephews were head rockers like your son they did this when they were over tired. do you have a bed time routine that you follow every night? i know this helps sooo much with my daughter. i hope this is helpfull to you. good luck!

Hi Nicloe, I don't know how normal it is, but I'm 52 and i used to do that, I don't know what age I started, but I did it when I was in elementry school, and I don't remember what age I stoped, I remember also like sitting on the couch abd diung the same thing with the back of my head, I turned out OK, maybe I did it to wear myself out so i could fall asleep I don't know but I do know I did for a long time, so I wouldn't be alarmed, if the pediatrician isn't concerned, then it's probably OK. for me is was ahabit, weather I was sitting or laying down I was bumping my head, for me it was on my stomach of course I had a pillow. This is the first case of this I had ever heard us, I thought I was the only one. well take care J.

I have not had experience with this, but I think the comments about it being his way to self-soothe could be right on. I also think you should make sure he is not overtired, gets enough sleep, and has a simple and short nighttime routine.
He should be taking 2 naps a day (9ish and 1ish) and then have a bedtime around 7ish depending on the lengths of his naps... Here is a link to a post that may help you: http://www.lullabyluna.com/2008/12/happy-new-year.html

Good luck.

C., mother of 3, sleep consultant, blog writer www.lullabyluna.com

Believe it or not, it is probably him just "self-soothing."
Some babies do this... it will pass. Then he will be on to other things.

Sometimes, its a baby's way of "shutting out" external stimuli too. Perhaps, it's his way of "winding down" before sleeping and lulling himself to sleep...in a sort of repetitious way... like repeated gestures that some people do to relax.

When I was young, I used to "rock" my foot/legs back and forth... but it was relaxing for me. Then I fell asleep.

It does not appear to be any ear problems/infections?

If the Doctor is not concerned, I would not worry.
For some babies even, if you try to 'stop' them from doing it, it just gets them in a tizzy and they can't sleep.

All the best,
Susan

Hi there-
My son did something similar. He would sit up and rock back and forth hitting his head on his crib. He did this for a LONG time-from 8 months to about 2 yrs. His pediatrician wasn't worried either. Just said it was a form of soothing, and as long as he wasn't hurting himself, it was okay. He still does is occasionally now (he's almost 3) but in a different form. I do think it's just soothing himself. As long as your son is not endangering himself, I wouldn't worry too much about it.
Hope this helps!
J.

HI N.,

My now-three-year-old son did the head-flapping thing, too. I can't remember when it stopped, but he'd fling his head from side to side really vigorously for several minutes. It would actually get more intense the closer he got to falling asleep.

It did stop, and though he's still an "active" sleeper and thrashes a lot, he's perfectly normal, well-adjusted and ahead of the curve for most developmental milestones. He, too started at about 4 months, and i think it stopped around 18 months or so, but I'm not too sure about that.

As long as your Dr. isn't worried and everything else is going well, rejoice in the fact that your child is learning to fall asleep on his own. :-)

good luck!
C.

Hi N.,

My son did that too when he was 10 months old through 15 months. I'd rock him to sleep when he was a baby, and then he grew bigger and heavier and at some point I stopped the rocking. He is over 21 months old and doesn't do that anymore. He is perfectly normal and healthy. Just like so many other moms who've replied, I think your son is doing it just to soothe himself to sleep.....just the way my son did. What we did was put big fat pillows along the width of the crib at both ends, so that my son wouldn't hurt himself in his sleep. He still moves a LOT in his sleep...so those pillows really turned out very useful.
Hope this helps!

Hi N.,
The only experience I have has with this was when I was about 13 (30 years ago) and I babysat for a family whose 13 month old will do the same thing to get to sleep. I raised the concern with the Mother who advised "that's what he does to sleep". The family moved and I saw them again when the child was about 5 and asked about it and was told he stopped just prior to his 2nd bithday, about the time she put him in a structured play group, so there is hope. He is now in his early 30's (wow I'm old) and has turned out just fine. I know it would drive me insane (it did at 13), but in the long run it should be alright. I hoped this has helped.
L.

My brother used to bang his head like that a lot as a baby and toddler. He did it when angry as well. It really cut down after my Mom started treatment for her car injury and the doctor worked on him while she was having her visit. He never did quite kicking violently in his sleep though.

One of my daughters did this. She had been adopted from a German orphanage at age 4 and I always assumed that she had been kept in a crib too much, was bored, and rocked herself to sleep since no one had time to rock each child. She did that for many years, and I even saw her do it as an adult -- although certainly not all the time. Obviously, that reason won't work for your son! My daughter was also extremely hyperactive. I don't know if that could be a reason or not. However, I don't think it harmed her in any way.