Motor35 Posted March 30, 2007 Posted March 30, 2007 Can anyone give me suggestions for something my 18 month old nephew does? When he has a temper tantrum, he hits himself. He will throw himself down and hit himself in the head, almost like a punch. He truly is a delightful little guy, but this behavior puzzles me....?
Storyrider Posted March 30, 2007 Posted March 30, 2007 Without knowing more about him, I would say this is within the range of normal toddler behavior and he must be getting some kind of emotional/psychological payoff from it that makes him continue to do it. He will probably outgrow it.
Author Motor35 Posted March 30, 2007 Author Posted March 30, 2007 Thanks, Storyrider. He doesn't hit other people, just himself. It is so strange...
lrae Posted March 30, 2007 Posted March 30, 2007 I am not a behavior specialist but, I do have a two year old who can throw a great tantrum from time to time. Generally only when we are in public for others to witness. He has impeccable timing! While it must be awful to witness, I also think your nephew's behavior is normal. A little extreme but relatively normal. Be careful, you're not stepping on your sister's toes (no matter how good your intentions). Telling others how to parent thier children (especially when this advice was not solicited) can be shaky ground. Everything I've read says that tantrums are a stage which most toddlers go through. Toddlers can be easily frustrated. They know what they want but not always how to get it. Encourage and reward them when they do good things - so they get the attention they seek and need. Don't give them attention when they act out. This can unintentionally reward the "bad" behaviour. I've heard that "reacting" can even be too much attention. Use good judgement in each situation and above all make sure they're safe and cared for.
Art_Critic Posted March 30, 2007 Posted March 30, 2007 He will outgrow it. I agree........All he has to do is hit himself a good few times and he will learn that it hurts to do that..and then he will stop
Miss_Bee Posted March 30, 2007 Posted March 30, 2007 It's just a phase that kids go through at that age. When they have tantrums, there is nothing that you can do to calm them down. The best thing that you can do for the little guy when he has a tantrum, is to just keep a watch on him to make sure that he doesn't hurt himself during the tantrum. There isn't a way to calm them down, just to help them get through it.
IfWishesWereHorses Posted March 30, 2007 Posted March 30, 2007 When my son was a toddler and got tired he threw incredible tantrums. He didn't hit himself but would run into, fall off of, or throw something that ended up hitting him. The thing that worked best for me was to redirect while pretending to ignore the tantrum. Like, OMG! Is that Peter Rabbit, I've been looking all over for him, I think he needs a carrot... then carry Peter out of the room. I always ended up with a 2 year old peaking around the corner of the kitchen while I dug through the veggie bin for a carrot.
fluffy0 Posted April 2, 2007 Posted April 2, 2007 I used to work in a home with Autistic children, and hitting themselves when they are frustrated is one of the hallmark behaviors of autism. It is probably nothing to worry about if your son is otherwise fine, but if he exhibits other symptoms of Autism I would check with a doctor.
MWC_LifeBeginsAt40 Posted April 25, 2007 Posted April 25, 2007 The next time you see a toddler throwing a temper tantrum in public, join in. I'll bet the kid never does it again!
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