Head banging in autism and the five reasons why your child might be banging or hitting their head.
Many autistic individuals engage in self-injurious behaviors and head banging seems to be one of the most common.
They might slam their head against a wall. Or the floor. Or some piece of furniture.
They're clearly hurting themselves...
But why?
Why is this self-injurious behavior so common in autism?
Well, here are 5 reasons why your autistic child might be engaging in head banging or head hitting behavior. Understanding the why behind the behavior can help you tailor your approach to handling the behavior - dare I say it? - head on.
Autism & Head Hitting: 5 Reasons Why it Might be Occurring
There are lots of reasons why your child might be hitting or banging their head. And if you pay close attention to what happened prior to the onset of the head banging behavior, then you can usually pinpoint what the cause might be, especially if your child is currently nonverbal or preverbal.
Here are 5 reasons why head banging might be happening:
Here are 5 reasons why head banging might be happening:
1. Your Child is Having Sensory Processing Issues
Head banging can also be a sign of sensory processing issues, either from sensory overload or from a sensory deficit.
Your child can get both vestibular and proprioceptive sensory input from banging their head and to them, head banging feels good and helps them self-regulate.
2. Your Child is Attempting to Communicate
You're probably heard the phrase "all behavior is communication" and it's so true. Head banging might be how they choose to express frustration or anxiety, for instance.
3. Your Child is in Pain
It might seem odd to think that your child's head banging behavior is occurring because they are currently in pain, but banging one's head can serve as a distraction from any pain or discomfort they are experiencing elsewhere in their body.
The head banging behavior is essentially used to mask pain or discomfort.
4. Your Child is Seeking Attention
Self-injurious behavior like head banging is sure to draw the attention of an adult. A child can quickly learn that banging their head is one quick way to make their parents rush over to intervene.
5. Your Child is Trying to Escape Demands
If you are mid-activity with your child and they start to bang their head, then it might be that the head banging is being used as an escape tool.
Were they finding the activity too challenging? Too boring?
Your child may have learned a long time ago that they could avoid or escape activities by doing something disruptive. Head banging gives them one such disruptive behavior to use as an escape.
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