Head-banging in Autism: Reasons Why a Child Might Be Banging Their Head
Many autistic individuals engage in self-injurious behaviours, and headbanging 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 behaviour so common in autism?
Here are five reasons why your autistic child might be engaging in head banging or head hitting behaviour. Understanding the why behind the behaviour can help you tailor your approach to handling the behaviour – dare I say it? – head-on.
Autism & head hitting: reasons why it might be occurring
There are many reasons your child might be hitting or banging their head. If you pay close attention to what happened prior to the onset of the headbanging behaviour, then you can usually pinpoint what the cause might be, especially if your child is currently nonverbal or pre-verbal.
Here are the five reasons why headbanging might be happening
1. Your child is having sensory processing issues
Headbanging can also be a sign of sensory processing issues, either from sensory overload or a sensory deficit. Your child can get both vestibular and proprioceptive sensory input from banging their head, and to them, headbanging feels good and helps them self-regulate.
2. Your child is attempting to communicate
You’ve probably heard the phrase “all behaviour is communication”, and it’s so true. Headbanging 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 behaviour 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 headbanging behaviour is essentially used to mask pain or discomfort.
4. Your child is seeking attention
Self-injurious behaviour like headbanging 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 in mid-activity with your child and they start to bang their head, then it might be that the headbanging is being used as an escape tool. Were they finding the activity too challenging? Too boring? Your child may have learned long ago that they could avoid or escape activities by doing something disruptive. Headbanging gives them one such disruptive behaviour to use as an escape.
Link to original article: andnextcomesl.com
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