I have a 27 month old sister who has just recently began pulling her hair out and rubbing it on her mouth. As an infant, she would play with her hair while drinking her bottle at bedtime. She now does this and bangs her head against walls, cabinets, and floors. She seems to do this when she wants attention or when she is tired. She has also become very shy, sometimes even with family members. She has a vocabulary of 6-7 words. Her word association and comprehension level is within the normal range or greater. Some of her past history includes: open heart surgery at birth (hospitalized X 1 month), parents separated/divorced, changed daycares, and now our mother isn't a full-time stay at home mom. My mother has been advised to have her evaluated for any developmental delays. Do you have any suggestions as to what we can do for now to prevent her from performing these unwanted behaviors and/or why this is occurring?
Thanks.