Head banging with tantrums

One of my boys (22 months) has always had a bit of a temper and he is more prone to frustration and tantrums than his brother is. Lately, he has been banging his head when he gets upset. He'll bang it on the wall, tile floor or whatever is close by. Sometimes he even hits himself in the head when he is frustrated.

It just breaks my heart to see him do this and I don't want it to turn into an ingrained habit. So far, the only thing I can think of to do is to redirect him to a more appropriate thing to bang. He isn't really talking and I'm sure that has a lot to do with it so, I just try to give him the words. I'll say "Don't hit your self Chase, we love you... hit this pillow. Say I AM MAD" and I model repeating that phrase while hitting the pillow or stomping my feet.

Sometimes it works, mostly because I look like an *** and I crack him up (hey whatever works) but if he's really upset he doesn't pay any attention and he's still banging his head 4 or 5 times a day.

Any ideas????

 

We have the same thing. He recently stopped doing it as much. Instead he smacks himself on the head. I guess he figured the floor/wall hurt too much. I have no advice. We do time outs every time he gets into one of his tantrums.

 

I have one also and it can be trying. I have been trying to just totally ignore it but the last week hasn't been good. I sometimes leave the room and he stops. I have done time outs and if they work, I do that but some days that doesn't seem to work.

 

DD still does this, but it's funny, because usually she'll look behind her to make sure she's not going to hit something painful - although, today she didn't and I got a fat lip. It seems she did learn all on her own that throwing a fit is okay, but not bashing her head up. She also pulls her hair or bites her sleeve, too.

 

Mine do this too. DH did it when he was little. I just walk out of the room when they do this. So far it has worked. If they don't have an audience, they stop.