AUTISM SOLUTIONS
What You Need to Know
About Head Banging and
Self Harming Behavior
By Katherine G. HOBBS
F
or children with autism spectrum disorder
(ASD), head banging is a common way to
self-soothe and communicate needs. Both
neurotypical and autism babies and toddlers
seek to recreate the rhythms that stimulated
their vestibular systems while in utero. Other
rhythmic habits that fuel a child’s kinesthet-
ic drive include head rolling, body rocking, biting,
and thumb sucking. According to Dr. Harvey Karp,
MD, rhythmic habits trigger the calming reflex in in-
fants and toddlers. Many babies begin head banging
around six months of age, but neurotypical children
usually will not continue the behavior after the age
of three.
According to Noha F Minshawi, PhD, assistant pro-
fessor of clinical psychology in clinical psychiatry
at Riley Hospital for Children, “Children with autism
spectrum disorders demonstrate self-injurious be-
haviors at high rates.”
Autism Parenting Magazine | Issue 68 |
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