Skip to main content
Skip to main navigation
Skip to talk navigation

Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Saved Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Flip

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

Behaviour/development

7 and half month old head-banging in highchair

17 replies

Twiga · 27/04/2006 12:13

Could do with some advice/reassuarance, in the last couple of weeks dd has startd banging her head against the back of the highchair, it's not with every meal but she does it hard enough to make her cry and doesn't stop even when it obviously hurts. I think that it may be frustration as she wants to have a go with spoon etc - have been giving her a spoon to hold while feeding or finger food to try and avoid this. also starts banging head sometimes if I try to help her with her cup - she's got the gist of it but still doesn't know to tip it once it starts to empty. Tried telling her no firmly, tried ignoring, not really sure of the best approach but I'm now finding myself feeling quite nervous around feeding her in the high chair in case she starts banging her head. She very much enjoys her food and we try to keep feeding times light and fun.

OP posts:

Report

Twiga · 27/04/2006 12:27

bump

OP posts:

starlover · 27/04/2006 12:31

pad the highchair?

starlover · 27/04/2006 12:31

or strap her in tighter so that she can';t move as much

womba1 · 27/04/2006 12:34

Twiga, my ds used to do this too and we mentioned it to our doctor as we were somewhat concerned about him damaging his brain or neck. He told us not to worry and to gently place a hand behind his head to encourage him to stop. Our ds also did it in his cot and playpen, when he was tired. It was a calming mechanism and he used to fall asleep afterwards. It also has to do with boredom and frustration. My ds has just turned 3 and sometimes when he goes to bed, if he doesn't immediately fall asleep which is the norm, we'll hear him rocking and banging his head very gently against the wall. It seems to soothe him.

Marina · 27/04/2006 12:36

OK twiga, you know me of old, so I hope you won't find my theory upsetting or offensive.
When your dd is bumping her head backwards, is she also pressing forward hard against her harness/straps? Especially the strap between her legs?
The reason why I ask this is that dd, who has long grown out of this habit, used to brace herself against her highchair harness because it was a pleasurable sensation. The HV spotted her doing it, and I was utterly mortified when she explained the reason for it. (We had been puzzled as to what she was up to...) Our highchair was heavily padded at the back, which explains why dd never hurt her head doing this and therefore never cried.
If this is what your dd is doing, then it is apparently really common, and they do grow out of it. I just thought it might be a possibility given that your dd is obviously hurting her head enough to make her cry, but still doing it.
Or you could tape a good thick piece of foam to the back of the highchair of course

sparklemagic · 27/04/2006 12:45

can you go for loads of finger food for now? She can be in charge then...use the more sloppy foods that you would have spoon fed as a 'dip' so she can dip her finger foods in, so she'll still be getting lots of types of food and nutrients.

I always think with kids, don't try to swim against the tide - give her what she wants for now - and introduce more spooned things again at regular intervals to see if she will accept them..

MrsBigD · 27/04/2006 12:45

twiga, my dd used to just sit on the floor and bang her head against the wall! In her case it was attention seeking though, so slightly different scenario.

However, no damage has ensued and she's a rather too bright (iykiwm ) 4.5year old

Twiga · 27/04/2006 13:34

Sorry for the delay in geting back to this, was time for dd's lunch. Thanks for the replies so far, Starlover I've taken to puting a folded hand towel between the insert and the back of the high chair to soften things, she's fairly securly strapped in already so not keen to tighten harness.

Womba, so far it's just the high chair she bangs her head in although that said she will sometimes bang her head against my chest if sat on my knee. Are we likely to see this behaviour in other places ie the cot, or does it not necessarily follow?

Marina, not offended at all - can't say I've noticed but will have a look next time. She discovered her bits about 6 weeks ago during bath time and was pulling at herself when we took her nappy off/in the bath but this behaviour has died down a lot over the last couple of weeks and doesn't seem such a fascination - we just figured she was discovering bits of her body much like when she first discovered she could get her toes in her mouth. Did have one thought and you could may be tell me what you think - since starting weaning she's gradually dropped to three bf a day - first thing, afternoon and last thing, she's nearly dropping the afternoon one. Anyway i was wandering if she was missing the cuddles that come with bf (she was bf on demand) because sometimes picking her up out of the high chair and cuddling her when she's doing the head banging thing seems to calm her and she will more often than not, not bang her head once put back in and the meal continued.

Sparklemagic, the finger food thing is slightly awkward as not a tooth in her head and is not great with things that don't dissolve once in the mouth. Have been trying to give her rusk or similar to hold whilst I spoon feed her so she can self feed at the same time. I guess it might be worth letting her dip stuff into the puree that I'm feeding her - she's such determined wee soul.

Mrsbigd, good to know they grow out of it!

OP posts:

hub2dee · 27/04/2006 13:50

dd did this for around 6 weeks from around 7 months, then stopped...

Twiga · 27/04/2006 13:58

Thanks Hub2dee, am so hoping will be a fast passing phase...

OP posts:

MrsBigD · 27/04/2006 13:59

Twiga... it might well be an attention seeking thing then if you have reduced 'bf/cuddle' time :) I wouldn't worry too much though.

As for discovering bits... dd still hasn't grown out of that, especially since we had ds she keeps going round saying 'I've got inny bits and ds has outy bits'

Twiga · 27/04/2006 14:01

lol at "inny bit and outy bits!"

OP posts:

MrsBigD · 27/04/2006 14:02

oh yes and 'boys and girls' are different! Now where's that book about 'birds & bees'... do you think there is a version for 4 year olds???

Twiga · 27/04/2006 14:03

OP posts:

lavu · 30/04/2006 18:09

hi
i have 9months old baby recently she started looking on one side with very sharp eyes while banging her head or shaking

CaptainDippy · 01/05/2006 08:24

Hi Twiga!! My DD2 (11 months) does this as well - Mighty disturbing - I think it is a frustration / "I am too hungry to eat" thing in my DD2's case. I put two thin cushions behind her head now - so when she does do it, she doesn't get hurt as much. I am sure that they will grow out of it. Has your DD ever had any "feeding issues" Twiga? - DD2 was on feeding tube when she was born and went on to have screaming fits on the breast or bottle - she's much better now she is weaned, but still had days / weeks when she hates food and screams and scream every mealtime. Very stressful and upsetting.

So - in response to your original post - You are not alone!!!!

Thinking it's a "I want to feed myself, but I can't thing" personally!!

Twiglett · 01/05/2006 08:34

totally normal ..it'll pass

Flip

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.