It is understandable to feel alarmed when your baby engages in head banging. This action, which can involve striking the head against a crib mattress, wall, or even an adult’s shoulder, is a common and usually benign phenomenon in infancy and toddlerhood. As many as 20% of healthy children experience this phase, typically starting around six to nine months of age. This behavior is generally a temporary developmental phase that most children outgrow naturally by the time they reach age four.
Why Rhythmic Head Banging is Often Normal
The most frequent reason a baby engages in rhythmic head movement is as a self-soothing mechanism. The repetitive motion is often observed right before falling asleep, upon waking, or during the night. This rhythmic action helps the child transition from wakefulness to sleep by engaging the vestibular system, which is the sensory system responsible for balance and spatial orientation. The feeling is thought to be comforting, similar to the sensation of being rocked or held.
Body rocking, head rolling, and head banging are all forms of these rhythmic motor activities. Head banging itself usually appears around nine months old. The frequency of these movements tends to peak between 18 and 24 months before steadily declining. For the vast majority of children, this is simply a habit they use to calm themselves, and it is not a sign of any underlying problem.
Kinesthetic Drive
The behavior can also be a manifestation of a child’s natural drive for movement. This may involve the baby testing their physical capabilities and exploring how their body interacts with their environment. While the sound may be loud and concerning, healthy children instinctively regulate the force of the banging, rarely causing serious injury to themselves. The action is self-regulating because the child will naturally stop or decrease the intensity if it becomes too painful.
Head Smacking as a Sign of Pain or Need
While often a self-soothing habit, head banging can sometimes be a reaction to a specific internal or external stimulus. One common cause not related to sleep is an attempt to alleviate acute physical discomfort. For instance, a baby may bang their head to cope with the throbbing pain associated with severe teething or a middle ear infection.
Head banging that occurs when a child is awake and frustrated may also be a way to vent strong emotions they cannot yet express verbally. Since toddlers lack the advanced language skills to articulate anger or overwhelm, they may use physical actions to communicate their distress. This behavior can also be triggered by overstimulation from a busy or loud environment, or conversely, by under-stimulation or boredom.
A child may also learn to use head banging as a means of gaining parental attention. If a parent reacts strongly or rushes in with concern every time the behavior occurs, the child quickly learns to associate the action with receiving immediate interaction. Observing the context of the behavior can help parents determine if it is a soothing action or a communication attempt.
Ensuring Safety and Managing the Behavior
The first step in managing head banging is to ensure the environment is safe, especially if the behavior occurs in the crib. While serious injury is very rare, parents should move the crib away from hard walls or furniture to minimize vibration and noise. It is imperative to adhere to safe sleep guidelines, which means avoiding the use of loose bedding, pillows, or traditional crib bumpers inside the sleep space.
For older babies and toddlers, a safe sleep sack can help limit excessive movement while still allowing for some comfortable self-soothing. If the child is using the behavior to solicit attention, ignoring the action, provided the child is not in danger of injury, is often the most effective behavioral strategy. Distraction can be helpful during the day, such as engaging the child in activities that involve other forms of rhythm, like dancing, drumming, or marching.
Establishing a consistent and calming bedtime routine can also help to reduce the need for self-soothing behaviors at night. This may involve quiet activities like reading a story, a warm bath, or gentle rocking before placing the baby in the crib. By providing structured, positive attention and alternative rhythmic outlets during the day, parents can sometimes help the child naturally phase out the head banging habit.
Signs That Warrant a Doctor Visit
While head banging is typically benign, certain accompanying signs suggest a consultation with a healthcare provider is warranted. Parents should contact their pediatrician if the behavior is concerning.
- It is so forceful that it causes actual physical injury, such as persistent bruising, bleeding, or hair loss on the head.
- It consistently disrupts the child’s sleep, leading to daytime tiredness or irritability.
- It is accompanied by other developmental concerns, such as a significant delay in speech, difficulty with social interaction, or a loss of previously acquired skills.
- It occurs frequently throughout the day, rather than just around sleep times, or if the child appears detached or unresponsive during the activity.
A medical assessment is advisable if there is a suspicion of an ear infection alongside the behavior.