![]() Some toddlers self-harm because they don't know how to handle feelings of frustration or anger. Making sure you provide your toddler with a stable routine, so he/she can predict what is happening next, or how common events (a haircut, cleaning his room, meal time, etc.) will work.Making sure that you and everyone in your family is very consistent in how you react to your toddler's behavior - if he knows that behavior X always results in an immediate time out and behavior Y gets consistent praise, he feels like he knows how his world works, but if X is tolerated without reaction until you get really annoyed and blow up, he has no idea what happened and feels like it was just random, which is very frightening.Encouraging the child to make simple either/or choices as part of your everyday routines, such as picking out his own clothes each day from two choices you have offered.The best way to discover if this is the case is to increase opportunities for your child to be in control of things and see if the self-harm abates. Some toddlers self-harm simply because it's something they can control in a world that is almost completely out of their control. If not, then there are other causes to consider: If you already suspect autism or a sensory disorder for other reasons, I'd look doubly hard at the possibility now. It's very common with autistic children and children with sensory disorders - they can block out overload or frustration with something easy to do that shuts out whatever they're having trouble ignoring. Self-harm in toddlers can be hard to pin down. Of course, keeping the nails short may prevent the most severe damage. I believe that understanding sensory integration and sensory processing is invaluable to all parents and the strategies used with these children benefit all children. I am NOT implying that you child has this disorder. ![]() I recommend reading information on Sensory Integration Disorders or Sensory Processing Disorders as a reference for strategies that are calming. Of course, identifying triggers and providing distraction or other calming interventions before the abusive behaviors begin is even better. Grasping him in a deep bear hug, rocking him aggressively while speaking at an intensity that matches his and gradually modulating your voice as a model for him to follow may all assist him. Intervention may best be focused on providing the intense sensory stimulation that his body is seeking. Of course, the response of parents gives them intense attention that adds a behavioral component to the sensory based issue. Self-injurious behavior may indicate that a child's sensory system is not integrated and they escalate to what we consider the pain level to increase sensory stimuli in an effort to achieve self-regulation. ![]() Even as adults deep breathing, deep tension alternated with relaxation, deep pressure, punching a pillow and even a good cry help us to "feel better" and self-regulate to a more calmed state. All of these behavior result in calming the nervous system and returning it to normal. Crying/tantrums requires deep breathing, tensing of muscles and even falling onto the floor or kicking or hitting. Usually however, the very act of crying and tantruming provides the body with the opportunity to calm. ![]() Being very tired or sick can extend their out of sync behavior. After a few moments, the intensity usually passes with or without intervention and they self-regulate and return to a state of "normalization" where they can once again engage with their world. When their sensory systems reach overload, they often respond with crying or tantruming. Learning self-regulating behavior is often a challenge. Toddlers are often frustrated when events do not meet their expectations. Head banging, self-biting, clawing/scratching, and hair pulling are all self-injurious behaviors sometimes exhibited.Ī very important question to ask is what is triggering this unique acting-out behavior. ![]() I have worked with many children who are self abusive and this is a perplexing problem for parents and caregivers. ![]()
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