Knowing how to stop an autistic child hitting their head is a challenge for a number of parents. In this article we give you some ideas and tactics to help stop this behaviour.

Stopping autistic child hitting head

It is important to remember that every child is different and you may have to employ a range of tactics to address this behaviour.

But with that said here are some things you can try.

Watch and record

The most important step will be to identify triggers and causes.

You would be well served to keep a record of when and where the self-hitting behaviour occurs, as well as any patterns.

Something like just having a running log on your phone is sufficient to get a greater understanding of why your child is engaging in this activity

What you may notice is that your child engages in this behaviour when they are tired, frustrated, hungry, bored or overwhelmed.

Armed with that information you can set about tackling the issue.

Work on communication

If frustration is a significant cause for your child’s behaviour efforts should be made to improve communication.

You can focus on improving your child’s communication skills through visual supports, such as visual schedules, social stories, or visual cues.

It is likely that you are already working on your child’s communication but try to keep an open mind to non traditional forms of such as PECS or Makaton.

Sensory management

Leaning on the first point of identifying triggers you may need to address sensory issues.

If you have identified environmental reasons why your child engages in head hitting you can try and address those factors.

It may be for example beneficial to create a friendly environment by reducing bright lights, loud noises, or strong smells.

Provide sensory outlets

It may well be that your child is engaging in this behaviour for some sort of a sensory desire. With that in mind it may well bear fruits if you provide provide sensory outlets.

An example of this may be if your child starts to engage in head hitting or you think they are about to (via an established trigger) you could break out some sensory toys.

Through a process of trial and error you can see what sensory toys your child likes and keep some back for such circumstances.

It won’t necessarily be a toy which diverts your child’s attention from hitting themselves. It could be some other sensory tool such as an LED light display or a heavy blanket.

Plan days ahead

This suggestion is double barrelled in that it may serve you well to plan a days activities in advance but also keep your child updated in terms of what to expect.

Many autistic children thrive on routine and schedule so surprises could overwhelm them and lead to head hitting.

You could experiment with a schedule board incorporating pictures depending on your child’s preferences.

For example on a days schedule you could include getting dressed, having breakfast, brushing teeth, going to the park, having lunch etc.

If your child knows what to expect for the day it may well reduce his or her anxiety.

Reward good behaviour

Use positive reinforcement techniques, such as praise, or rewards to reinforce positive behaviours and redirect self-hitting behaviours.

An example of this would be if your child starts to engage in head hitting but you are able to divert them you could provide a reward of some sort.

Be sure to accompany any reward with verbal or picture based praise. You could use emotion cards to highlight the fact that you are happy.

Get professional help

If all else fails you could explore the option of bringing in a professional therapist.

What we found helpful by doing so was we watched the sessions extremely closely, taking notes on the techniques used.

You can then incorporate the professionals techniques into your day to day lives without the specialist being present.

Summary

Knowing how to stop an autistic child from hitting their head is a multi layered challenge.

For various reasons it can be an incredibly difficult thing to watch and deal with.

The first step in dealing with this behaviour would be to watch and learn in order to identify triggers.

Once you have these triggers nailed down you can tackle them individually via distraction, avoidance or communication.

With time, effort and consistency you may be surprised at quite how much impact you can have on this behaviour.