Violent temper tantrums

[Samantha83]

My DS is 13 & 1\2 months and has started having really bad tantrums when he doesn't get what he wants (eg, having to get out of the bath or wanting to play with the telephone), he has been doing this for about the two weeks at least once a day - he doesn't just bang his head he smashes it into things and has constantly got a bruised forehead, I have tried ignoring it, but he will not stop no matter how long I stretch ignoring it for. Because of the severity of the banging this is no longer an option as I’m terrified he is going to break his nose or even give himself brain damage.

I've tried picking him up and putting him in his cot but he has started smashing his face into the side panels causing him to bleed both in his mouth and his nose.

If I try to hold him he squirms and head butts me till he is let down when the whole process starts again.

I have tried distraction by bringing out a toy, reading a book, putting on his favorite wiggles song and playing with his building blocks which he normally loves, but this just causes him to act out more violently and loudly. I have spoken to our family doctor and he has just told me that it’s normal!

Short of buying him a baby size hockey helmet, I’m running out of ideas any help would be greatly appreciated.

Samantha

[mishlc]

I am a strong believer in food causing alot of behaviour problems. Does it happen after certain meals? Perhaps when he's had more artificial foods with lots of additives and preservatives than normal? I don't mean like big sugar hits or anything but simple things like flavoured crisps or certain snacky type things? Perhaps it's a certain additive or something that riggers him.
My DD has big tanties but not a extreme as banging her head or anything almost violent as that. It sounds dangerous and I'd be worried too......

[jasesmum]

Maybe you could put him in a portacot ...as it has mesh sides and hopefully less chance of hurting himself?... not sure. I know my nephew used to bang his head on floor etc when he had tantrums when he was younger. He is now almost 3....doesn't head bang but still throws himself on floor or throws things:confused: I think she used to try the ignore, distract or just pick him up and hold him firm. Sorry, don't know what else to suggest.:hugs:

[Rhileymaggie2]

My ds has done this and still dose ocasionaly, i went and saw someone at the child health centre.

I was told that it would take a lot of force to give him brain damage or even to do something to his skull.

I was also told to ignore it or to pick him up and not to let go until he stoped, it took me ages,to get him to settle.
It hasn't totaly stopped, but everynow and again he will go back to it, and is now a lot easier to deal with.

just hang in there, and find something that works for you.

[carshazzie]

Oh I sure am hearing this and sympathise completely.

My son does the same with the head banging but also throws himself on the floor to start with. This behavoiurs scared me too but thankfully he doesn't do it quite so much any more. He still throws himself on the floor and especially in public. I've found that when we're at home if I walk away so he can't see me he stops the tantrum but if I look at him or stay near to him he continues until he thinks he's going to get his way. Haven't got a solution for the public tantrum yet as we had a big one today and I'm still scratching my head on what to do. Any suggestions would be great.

Hope it gets better for you.