Does your child do this?

[JeanneA]

Hi, just wondered if your child like mine who has ASD sometimes hits himself on his head several times. Glen (15) does get extremely anxious if various situations and this can result in him hitting his head, but there are other times like yesterday when he was just sitting there colouring and he suddenly hit his head several times.

[JsMum]

 

 

Its definatley caused by frustration and not been able to communicate effectively.

 

Look at some form of communication aids and reducing the anxiety levels.

 

JsMumxxxx

 

[Karen A]

Hi.

Yes Ben does hit his head with his hand.It is usually a sign that he is very upsett and frustrated.Often with an x box game or with work he is finding difficult.

If this is a new development it might be worth attempting to figure out why it is happening.

Did Glen appear frustrated and was he aware that he was hitting his head ?

Karen.

[Sally44]

Hi, just wondered if your child like mine who has ASD sometimes hits himself on his head several times. Glen (15) does get extremely anxious if various situations and this can result in him hitting his head, but there are other times like yesterday when he was just sitting there colouring and he suddenly hit his head several times.

 

What was it about the colouring that frustrated him?

My son didn't pick up a pen/pencil/colouring pen until he was 6+. He would be distraught if he went over the black lines when colouring in. He did not appear to know where to start if attempting to draw, and he always wanted to draw something he had seen and it had to be a replicate of it.

Now he is 8 and can draw okay and doesn't have these restrictive expectations and demands for perfection he had before. But previously he would throw a tantrum and bang his head, or hit himself in the face or scratch at his face.

[JeanneA]

I've no idea why Glen reacted like he did whilst colouring, because colouring is one of his favourite things to do, he is very good at it. The incident soon passed and I didn't react to it as I find this is the best way. Glen has hit himself before its not a new thing. Glen does get over things very quickly though as he's got older. As I said normally Glen hits himself out of anxiety/frustration but just not sure this time. I wasn't watching him all the time whilst he was colouring.

[JsMum]

I've no idea why Glen reacted like he did whilst colouring, because colouring is one of his favourite things to do, he is very good at it. The incident soon passed and I didn't react to it as I find this is the best way. Glen has hit himself before its not a new thing. Glen does get over things very quickly though as he's got older. As I said normally Glen hits himself out of anxiety/frustration but just not sure this time. I wasn't watching him all the time whilst he was colouring.

 

 

 

did he go over the lines when colouring? this may of caused him to become upset, J hates making mistakes and if he goes over the black line he get really agitated?

 

JsMumxxx

 

[trekster]

What was it about the colouring that frustrated him?

My son didn't pick up a pen/pencil/colouring pen until he was 6+. He would be distraught if he went over the black lines when colouring in. He did not appear to know where to start if attempting to draw, and he always wanted to draw something he had seen and it had to be a replicate of it.

Now he is 8 and can draw okay and doesn't have these restrictive expectations and demands for perfection he had before. But previously he would throw a tantrum and bang his head, or hit himself in the face or scratch at his face.

 

i think perfectionism is likely to be the cause. Does he use PECS or something similar for communication?

 

Alexis

[Mumble]

Hi, just wondered if your child like mine who has ASD sometimes hits himself on his head several times. Glen (15) does get extremely anxious if various situations and this can result in him hitting his head, but there are other times like yesterday when he was just sitting there colouring and he suddenly hit his head several times.

Originally I thought 'anxiety' based on my experiences, and this may well be the case. Equally, as others have said, this is something I occasionally do (I tend more to bang my head on a wall than hit it - I've got a nice red bump at the moment) it can be about communication for me when everything has literally broken down and I can't make myself heard or understood - it's sheer frustration at not being able to communicate my distress. Another option as others have said is perfectionism, makes sense too given the task. Was there any other sensory experience happening that may have momentarily distracted him that he then sought to distract himself from by creating another sensation? I don't think you will ever know, I think you responded appropriately and I think monitoring it and see if there are other changes/incidences over the next few weeks.

 

He would be distraught if he went over the black lines when colouring in. He did not appear to know where to start if attempting to draw, and he always wanted to draw something he had seen and it had to be a replicate of it.

There is a wonderful book called the anti-colouring book, I bought it from a sale of I think American books (not sure and I don't have it with me to check) but basically it talks briefly about how children develop assumptions about what art should look like, replicating, keeping in lines and then the rest is a colouring/drawing book but produced in such a way that breaks down all these issues - it's a bit difficult to explain, but I'll try and find a link.

 

EDIT: Link added: Example of Anti-colouring book

Edited November 25, 2009 by Mumble

[Nats mum]

Hiya

Seems very common. Mine does it all the time when upset, frustrated, not getting his own way. when HAPPy he puts his hands to his face and makes claws and screws his face up. It has takena long time to get to a point where he at least shows the two emotions seperately with different things.

If anyone can get a chance to see Tarrent let's the kids loose, then you can see him doing the claw thing a lot there.

 

It is upsetting to watch him hitting his head and I trya dn use diversion tactics to stop him, then clamers. once clam we can go back to the objecxt of frustration and look at it clearly from hopefullya different angle.

hope that helps?

[Maria-Alex]

The first signs for my son's ASD was headbutting walls, then he was hitting himself in the head, biting himself, tugging at his hair, biting clothes and ripping them out of his teeth *cringe*.

 

apart from the headbutting he still does the others plus more...

[lisac]

He may have had a sudden pain or a twinge or a sensation and was reacting to that. Could even have had a headache ?

[smiley1590]

all what you described is forms of self-harming behaviours but can also be way to vrebalise his emtional turmiol mentl state or feelings he may be having has depression,anxiety or stress main triggers to set him off??? self harm can be common in children/adults with ASD as it gives off a happy hormone in the brain called endorphins which release 'overrides' for abit the negative ones going on in the background? is your son severe in this autism? have you spoken to NAS see what they're advice and support are there???

 

hope these web links help you find out more information on your personal situation and give you handy practical tips: which will come in useful!

 

 

 

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=2427&a=8385

 

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp...541&a=15187

 

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp...541&a=15185

 

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp...541&a=15189

 

[smiley1590]

i started self harmin around this age early teen stage i was 14 years i had/have did form of doing this but can understand as you feel so lost and confused within yourself and within the world you live in you not only fighting the ASD battle everyday but also the raging hormones with physical changes going on to the body mind everything feels like changing overnight and is so hard to adjust if you NT let alone got this! you feel even more so like you don't fit don't belong and that can be so hard to live with that fact can weigh down heavly can cause you emotional turmoil

[Special_talent123]

all what you described is forms of self-harming behaviours but can also be way to vrebalise his emtional turmiol mentl state or feelings he may be having has depression,anxiety or stress main triggers to set him off??? self harm can be common in children/adults with ASD as it gives off a happy hormone in the brain called endorphins which release 'overrides' for abit the negative ones going on in the background? is your son severe in this autism? have you spoken to NAS see what they're advice and support are there???

 

hope these web links help you find out more information on your personal situation and give you handy practical tips: which will come in useful!

 

 

 

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=2427&a=8385

 

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp...541&a=15187

 

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp...541&a=15185

 

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp...541&a=15189

 

not everyone with an ASD is selfharming, hitting themself , head banging more likely the ASD i know people that do that alot.

[smiley1590]

head banging is MORE likely in ASD but hitting can be next one down from that!!! i put NOT everyone i know that can true reality of alot people coping and dealing with an ASD and MH problems so everything needs to be checked and looked into throughly properly so nothing is missed out!

[JeanneA]

Thanks so much for your comments. I do wish Glen could tell me how he feels but he is unable to do that and probably never will. His autism is severe yes. I will check the links out, thanks again!

[Dillyn]

Mabye he suddenly had a brain block and got confused, forgetting what he was doing? Or mabye he got frustrated with himself for colouring it wrong. both circumstances sound just like me. My science teacher said i was hitting myself in a test but i didnt really realise.

[Sally44]

One thing that used to trigger my son - and still does - is if he is concentratng on something and he is distracted from his focus. That would really upset him because he was able to tell me that it made him have to start again from the beginning. So if he was making a lego model and I asked him 'what are you making', he could throw a fit about that because I disrupted his thought process and he lost the picture of the model in his head and had to start again.

 

I think the hardest part of any behaviours is not knowing what is behind them. We search and search for some kind of understanding or answers and often we don't get them. But we don't want our children to be anxious, upset, frustrated etc. Not all behaviours are due to negative things. Sometimes it is their way of concentrating, relaxing or staying focused. It would have been handy if our children had come with manuals!

[trekster]

i started self harmin around this age early teen stage i was 14 years i had/have did form of doing this but can understand as you feel so lost and confused within yourself and within the world you live in you not only fighting the ASD battle everyday but also the raging hormones with physical changes going on to the body mind everything feels like changing overnight and is so hard to adjust if you NT let alone got this! you feel even more so like you don't fit don't belong and that can be so hard to live with that fact can weigh down heavily can cause you emotional turmoil

 

Yesterday i had 1 meal that day and a few bits of choc, the day before i could manage 3 meals. i had left my supplements behind when i had attended a Birmingham meet up (different autism site).

 

Things that have helped my mental health disabilities;

 

1, 5htp for sleep and depression

2, strawberries in the morning for motivation

3, taurine at night for anxiety (helps with eliminating effects of swimming pool chlorine as well)

4, licorice root extract on dates 1-7 inclusive for adrenal support

5, gaba for anxiety

6, gluten/dairy free diet for depression anxiety

7, fish/omega oils help with all types of depression

8, probiotics has been rumoured to help with OCD and depression

9, counselling (i know how hard it is to get asd counselling)

10, anxiety and depression workbook for dummies and breaking free from ocd

11, avoiding benzoates as i almost went psychotic on them

12, strangely enough avoiding anti depressants

 

Alexis

 

PS: i am not a doctor and cannot be held responsible for any actions you choose to take as a result of this list.

Edited November 30, 2009 by trekster

[trekster]

One thing that used to trigger my son - and still does - is if he is concentratng on something and he is distracted from his focus. That would really upset him because he was able to tell me that it made him have to start again from the beginning. So if he was making a lego model and I asked him 'what are you making', he could throw a fit about that because I disrupted his thought process and he lost the picture of the model in his head and had to start again.

 

I think the hardest part of any behaviours is not knowing what is behind them. We search and search for some kind of understanding or answers and often we don't get them. But we don't want our children to be anxious, upset, frustrated etc. Not all behaviours are due to negative things. Sometimes it is their way of concentrating, relaxing or staying focused. It would have been handy if our children had come with manuals!

 

Being stopped from using the loo is really upsetting for me as i can literally hold it on (involuntary i might add) for 5 hours.

 

Alexis