When to Worry About Childhood Habits
- Identifying triggers for when your child sucks their thumb and comforting them during that time
- Involving an older child in choosing a method for stopping
- Having a dentist explain to your child why it's important for them to stop sucking their thumb
- Placing a dentist-prescribed bitter substance on your child's fingers
- Covering your child's finger with a bandage
Above all، be patient with your child's attempts to quit، and contact their health care provider or dentist for advice when necessary.
Head Banging and Rocking
Rocking and head banging—the rhythmic head hitting against a wall، crib، or other surfaces—are particularly frightening to parents because many associate these actions with emotional or developmental problems.
While rocking and head banging can be a sign of neurodivergence such as autism، they're also quite common among neurotypical children.
Researchers believe that these rhythmic movements are a form of self-soothing and they often happen around sleep. As many as 59% of 9-month-olds engage in sleep-related rhythmic movement، but that figure drops to 5% by 5 years of age.
When it's a problem
According to the Sleep Foundation، head banging rarely presents a problem; however، in some cases it's a good idea to talk to a health care provider، including if:
- Head banging continues beyond age 4
- Your child injures themselves during repetitive movement
- Your child lacks enough sleep as evidenced by lack of attention during the day
- Repetitive movements occur throughout the day (not just at bedtime)
What you can do
Usually، head banging doesn't require intervention. In fact، since head banging is a self-soothing technique، intervening can often backfire، causing a child to become frustrated.
The best thing to do is to follow safety measures to keep your child from injuring themselves. Take care to keep safe sleep guidelines in mind: The American Academy of Pediatrics advises avoiding loose blankets or pillows in an infant's sleep area until they are over 1 year old.