Head Banging and Body Rocking

Head banging and body rocking are called rhythmic movement disorders. Rhythmic movement disorders usually involve some type of rocking, rolling or head banging. Some children find this a soothing way to fall asleep. Your child probably does this most times they are falling asleep, whether at naptime or bedtime. Because all children naturally wake often during the night, your child will need to head bang (or rock) to put himself back to sleep in the middle of the night. So, don’t be surprised that this behavior happens not only at the start of bedtime but throughout the night.

For almost all children, head banging or body rocking is of no concern. It is a common way to fall asleep and usually children outgrow this behavior as they grow older. In some rare cases children may hurt themselves, in particular children with developmental delay, autism or blindness can be at higher risk of injury. If your child snores or has another sleep disorder, these may contribute to worsening the rhythmic movements through the night. In these cases your child may need further evaluation by a sleep specialist or have a sleep study.

There is nothing much that you need to do if your child head bangs or rocks himself to sleep. There are some things to consider:

• Don’t worry about trying to protect your child. Even if your child is banging their head hard, it is unlikely they will hurt themselves. Do not put any bumpers on the crib or place pillows in strategic places. Also, it rarely works. Most children will find a way to bang their heads, no matter what creative tricks you try.
• Be careful not to reinforce the head banging. If you go in to your child every time they start to rock or bang their head, you may be reinforcing the behavior without even realizing it. They may be head banging to get your attention. Make sure that your child gets lots of attention during the day and ignore their head banging at night.
• Move the crib or bed. Move the crib or bed away from the wall if the banging or rocking is making noise and keeping the rest of the family awake. If your child is in a bed rather than a crib, put guardrails on all sides so they won’t fall out of bed. If your child is making their crib or bed squeak, oil the screws and bolts.
• Ensure your child’s safety. Be sure to tighten all screw and bolts on your child’s crib or bed on a regular basis, as the rocking or head banging can loosen them.