Defines and offers strategies for managing self-rocking and head-banging among infants and toddlers. Includes discussion of normal rocking and head-banging, as well as more significant problems than can be associated with rocking and head-banging.
If a child is bored, stressed, or even just falling asleep, he may rock himself back
and forth or bang his head. This can worry parents, and may even damage cribs, but rocking and
head banging can be normal. Children with more intense personalities will rock and bang more than
others. These habits can begin around 6 months and continue into adulthood.
There are some real problems that can cause rocking and banging, including:
Autism
Mental retardation
Sensory deficits
Seizures
Child abuse or neglect
Head pain
If your child rocks or bangs his head, he should get a careful physical exam to rule these causes.
If none of these causes is found, you may want to make heavy rocking part of your nightly routine. You may
also want to bolt the crib to the wall.
Make sure that your child is not being put to bed too early, and therefore spending time in
the crib awake and bored. If this is the case, try putting your child to bed later, when she is
showing clear signs of sleepiness.
