Hi All

My toddler keeps hitting herself. Usually when she is frustrated or can't get what she wants. We try to ignore this behavior but I find it really upsetting and can't help but react. Some times I say We do not hit people, be gentle. the same way i would if she was hitting anyone else.

Has anyone had this problem? What do you do?

By Tarable on Sunday, April 13, 2008 - 06:35 pm:

My oldest didn't hit herself she bit herself. It was really hard to deal with. I don't really have any advice since I don't really remember exactly what I did except try to show her other ways to let out her frustration.

Good luck with this I just wanted you to know that this you are not the only one out there.

By Jewlz on Monday, April 14, 2008 - 06:12 pm:

My cuzin's son hit himself and my aunt helped this lil boys mom get thru this. we have found that the lil boy is high level autistic and amazes psychologists and evaluaters but he would hit and slap hisself so hard he would turn his lil face and arms red ... so they started using a distraction method on him ... when they saw him doing this they would either sing one of his fav lil songs or rhymes or repeat tongue twisters just pick up a book ..sometimes this would make him more mad sometimes it would give him a chance to think of another way to express hisself cuz they found out he was frustrated. then they took a hard course in sign language and he still hit hisself but it became less frequent and was able to say what he wanted with his hands instead of words ... he also was a late talker ...at three they had him tested and is in a special class four times a week 3 hours a day and has excelled more tahn any one could imagine ... the teacher in his class has mentioned that they are so lucky to have him in the class cuz he helps with the rest of the class and that makes him more aware of the rest of the world as he had a hard time dealin with that also ...
good luck

By Jewlz on Tuesday, April 15, 2008 - 03:12 pm:

My aunt also use to cry when he would hit himself and say oh my that duz hurt ... i wish u wouldnt do that ... u just have to try many ways to see what klicks for you and ur baby girl ... good luck

By Bee on Sunday, April 20, 2008 - 09:36 pm:

Thank you for your support and advice. I know it will pass, i think she is experimenting with ways to A, get attention and B, release her frustration. Hopefully I can help teach her a less hurtful way of expressing her feelings. Luckily she doesn't hit herself really hard, that would be even harder.
Thanks again!