Tips, tricks, and strategies for any caregiver of a special needs child who is feeling like they need a change! When a child receives limited or no sensory input from any of his sensory systems, the child may bang his head to increase stimulation. Parents of children who are prone to head banging are understandably keen to find out head banging interventions to prevent their child from injury. For example, as I type this post I am in a room by myself. Use a headbanging helmet with an MD prescription. Sensory strategies for headbanging. If aggressive behaviors are triggered by attention-seeking you may need to start a “non-contingent attention” program. Whilst some children outgrow this behaviour before school age, some may continue to have so-called ‘head banging syndrome’ for years. Some of these behaviors may be an attempt at self-calming while others may be signs of anxiety or feeling upset. A social story may help. Helping Children with Autism Spectrum Conditions through Everyday Transitions. Or it might look at a broader area of self-development, such as improving overall communication abilities. Head banging can be due to sensory processing disorder. Remove noise with noise-cancelling headphones. Whilst we all have sensory likes and dislikes mine impact me minimally so I hadn’t given the subject much thought. Apologies for any inconvenience caused & thanks for your understanding! . One of the most common ways that parents describe their sensory seeking child is: Sensory Sleep … Sometimes, hitting, scratching or kicking others helps to manage the frustration of not being able to control sensory bombardment. Some tips for giving replacement behavior for headbanging are: 1. Injury Prevention when Pain: Provide student … We are also a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. We really hope that these strategies help. amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; TELL US MORE... have a story or experience that you would like to share with us? If your child is a head banger because of sensory processing disorder, it depends on whether they are banging their head because of a sensory deficit or sensory overload. amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; Your email address will not be published. Every story is unique. There are various things that can cause children with autism to bang their head. Provide other sensory inputs that they may find stimulating (examples in the links below). Sign up to our newsletter and receive 10% off your first purchase! Here are some tips to help you sort through why your child is displaying the behavior and how you can help them stop. If your child doesn’t usually head bang, you should consult with your GP to rule out any injuries that you cannot see or an underlying medical condition, such as an ear infection or sore throat. A child may be experiencing a sensory deficit or sensory overload and banging their head may help them to self-regulate. This has always been part of the routine leading up to bed. It is still a worrying situation for a parent and you will need to consult your doctor. Biting his hand and banging his head are behaviours which provided deep pressure input. Solution: Give your child attention but not when he/she is banging. A Functional Analysis by a behavior therapist will help produce a good behavior intervention plan. Sensory Strategies for Personal Care 2 Contents ♦ General principles ♦ Meal times 4 - 5 5 - 7 ♦ Tooth brushing 7 - 8 ♦ Dental visits 8 - 9 ♦ Grooming products 9 ♦ Hair brushing 9 ♦ Hair cutting 10 ♦ Face washing 10 ♦ Bathing 11 ♦ Hair washing and drying 12 ♦ Clothing and dressing 12 - 13 ♦ Nail cutting 13 - 14 ♦ Toileting 14 ♦ Sleep 15 As an example, if a child is head banging into a wall, a safer initial redirection could be to head bang into a big cushion or bean bag. Remove stimuli that are causing the sensory discomfort: Tips to Prevent Self-Harm due to Under-Stimulation. Head banging and other self-injurious behavior is often associated with developmental problems like autism. Behavior is a form of communication. Any tips will be much appreciated. The first head banging behavior that I´ve mentioned does not typically result in physical injury. 19. A tip for those situations may be to redirect him into another task or distract her with a question (Response interruption and redirection):  What was your favorite toy? This approach will need to be implemented over a period of time: The final objective is for your kid to learn to regulate himself. Watch out for precursor behaviors (things that may be happening even before the actual behavior is present): If you can act on those behaviors you may be able to avoid the SIB situation altogether. Also, if a child is banging their head against the wall, you could consider moving their bed away from the wall. In a normally developing child they occur around 6-9 months age, and generally resolve around 2-3 years with most behaviors gone by 6-8 years. If your child doesn’t usually head bang, … Children usually do not cause harm to themselves, but it can … 21. Understanding the function of this behavior is key to ensuring that the strategies you put in place are going to be successful. You can also read our Disclosure & Disclaimer policy here). Small Changes- Big Challenges”. Sensory Diet Strategies:  throughout the day, encourage activities that provide proprioceptive (heavy work) input to the arms and hands such as o crawling o pushing and pulling (or holding onto a rope while being pulled on a scooterboard) o wearing wrist weights  offer vibration to the head through a vibrating brush or an oral vibrator There are several reasons why children may engage in head banging. If you identify transitions as a problem, there are different ways to address it, depending of your specific situation. This strategy should only be utilized if you have been taught by someone who knows the protocol. A child may be experiencing a sensory deficit or sensory overload and banging their head may help them to self-regulate. Some tips for giving replacement behavior for headbanging are: 1. 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