My 11month old likes to hit her head

[beccanne]

My daughter is 11 months old and we have to put a pillow behind her head in her highchair because she throws her head back constantly. She does in the carseat occasionally and when she is tired, she lies on her tummy in the cot and smacks her head on her pillow until she falls asleep. I have an older daughter who is three and she never did anything like this. I don't know if its just a thing she does or if theres a deeper problem. She has been slower to develop than my 3 year old but is now sitting on her own, crawling, making noises and just started standing up and wlaks a bit if you hold her hands. She seems to be developing well, she can't clap and we have tried to show her how but she just flaps her hands, which is something she does a lot.
I think she is developing properly and at a healthy pace, but I worry about why she hits her head on the pillow and throwing her head back in the highchair and occasionally the carseat. Should I worry? Can I do anything to help stop her? Is it just a case of wait and see?

[margypops]

well done , you are distracting her and it works .She was doing it to get attention so you replaced the negative with something positive .I have found that singing songs helps, music anything that takes the childs attention and in fact gives what she needs in a positive way ....Super Post thank you

[RobTheDad]

My daughter has been doing the same thing.  She hits herself with her hands more than anything else, and it isn't always during tantrums, but she always seems to look at one of us right before doing it.  We started figuring out that she is doing it, because it upsets both of us and we immediately start saying stuff like oh, no, don't do that.  I started holding my hand out telling her to give me five, and clapping and saying good job when she does.  I do this every time she hits herself instead of saying oh no.  Now she walks up and starts patting my hand instead of hitting herself.  I think its just away to grab your attention.

[Trialanderror]

It seems to be very common at that age. My son did the same thing around 11 months. Actually, around 8 months he used to roll his head sideways in the stroller when tired, around 11 months he used to bang his head backwards against the "back rest" of the hig chair and rolled his eyes backwards whenever he felt he was done eating and at age 2 he used to throw himself on the floor with his head banging on concrete whenever he was tired or upset. Since it always happened when he "had enough", I assumed it was a baby`s or toddler`s way of tuning themselves out. Unless there is any medical condition that I am not aware of, it is pretty normal and will pass.

[leigh1972]

Oh My Gosh!!!  I was going to post this morning for almost the exact same thing.  My daughter who is 11 months old in a couple of days, not only does she bang her head backwards on her high chair, but when we correct her, tell her "no" she will hit her head with her fists, never hard enough to make a mark, or even to make her self cry, it is just a testament of her temper to come I guess.  We have tryed everything to make her stop, from scolding her when she hits her self, to ignoring.  Nothing seems to help.  We have noticed even when she is "along" and playing either in a play pen, or in the floor, if something frustrates her, she will do it.  any suggestions?  As far as development, Evy is talking, walking, feeding herself, she has met all the mile stones.  I honestly think it is her temper...which is very scarry to me!

[Nicki1433]

My husband still does that...REALLY...when he's tired and isn't sleeping well or can't fall asleep, I will wake up to him banging his head into the bed.  No, there's nothing you can do to stop it.  Mention it to her pediatrian at her next visit, but I think she's probably fine (judging by the given information).  My husband was labeled ADD but other than that is normal.