Headbanging – your questions answered

It’s unlikely that your child will bang their own head with enough force to cause pain or injury, but if your child seems distressed after a headbanging episode you should seek medical attention. 

Call 999 immediately if your child has hit their had and has:

• been knocked out and has not woken up
• difficulty staying awake or keeping their eyes open
• a fit (seizure)
• problems with their vision
• clear fluid coming from their ears or nose
• bleeding from their ears or bruising behind their ears
• numbness or weakness in part of their body
• problems with walking, balance, understanding, speaking or writing
• hit their head in a serious accident, such as a car crash

Take your child to the nearest accident and emergency department (A&E) if they have suffered a head injury and have:

• been knocked out but have now woken up
• been vomiting since the injury
• a headache that does not go away with painkillers
• a change in behaviour, like being more irritable, being easily distracted or having no interest in the outside world – this is a particularly common sign in children under the age of five
• a large bruise or wound to the head or face
• loss of power in part of the body, such as weakness in an arm or leg
• confusion
• a blood clotting disorder (like haemophilia) or take blood-thinners (like warfarin)
• had brain surgery in the past

Contact your GP or 111 service for non-urgent advice if:

• your child’s symptoms last more than 2 weeks
• you are not sure if it’s safe for your child to return to nursery or pre-school

Trust your judgement and seek immediate medical attention if you have any serious or urgent medical concerns.

You can read more about head injuries here.

Ensure your home is safe and their environment is free of hazards such as sharp edges. Read more about home safety here.

Headbanging might provide young children with a similar sensation to being in the uterus when they were rocked and jostled by their mother’s movements. 

Headbanging can also: 

• Provide comfort through rocking movements and stimulation 
• Test the brain to improve balance 
• Release tension 
• Distract from discomfort, such as teething pain 
• Attract attention 

Headbanging can peak at around 18-24 months of age but it should ease when your child reaches four years old. 

If your child is otherwise healthy and developing well, the best route is to ignore headbanging. Subtlety distracting your child with something like a toy may stop them. 

Ensure your home is safe and their environment is free of hazards such as sharp edges. Read more about home safety here.

If your child is headbanging to attract attention (such as during a tantrum), they are more likely to keep doing it if it gets a reaction. Distracting them with something else may help in this case too. 

In the long run, praising and encouraging positive behaviours can be more effective than punishing unwanted behaviours such as headbanging. Praising your child when they show positive behaviour or learn a new skill can boost how they feel about themselves and make them more likely to repeat it. In turn, this can really help them to reduce difficult behaviour like headbanging or biting. 

A calm bedtime routine with lots of touch can give your child the sensory input that the repetitive movement provides, so they feel calm and ready for sleep. 

If they are sleeping in a different place for daytime naps, make sure your child is napping on a solid base.

If your child sleeps in a cot, regularly check that the bolts and screws aren’t loosening. If your child is in a bed, try moving it slightly away from the wall. 

Cot bumpers and padding are not recommended for babies for safety reasons. Always follow safe sleep advice, click here for more information.