Our 16 month old toddler has been exhibiting some pretty weird behavior that our other son never experienced...head banging. So I did some research and came up with some answers. I found out that head banging is common in toddlers and each child does it for various reasons. This really surprised me and made me less worried at the same time. Toddlers bang their head for various reasons some of which are discussed below:

Attention! Toddlers want attention! Toddlers start head banging to get attention from their parents.

Comfort! Your toddler may be comforting his or herself by banging their head. This calms them to help them go to sleep.

Frustration/Stress! Your child may be frustrated or stressed! This frustration can come from family stressors or just a regular temper tantrum.

Above all, head banging in toddlers is fairly common and rarely does it signify a more severe mental problem. Some parents think of Autism and other childhood mental disorders when it comes to toddler head banging but these are very rare with head banging alone. Other behaviors and symptoms would need to be present before that would be a cause for concern. If you feel your toddler's head banging is out of control, your toddler doesnt talk at all, or you just feel like something is wrong then you need to contact your child's pediatrician. If you are ever in doubt, call the doctor.

We have come to the conclusion that our toddler's head banging has a lot to do with temper tantrums when things don't go his way. During these periods of rare head banging, we do what we can to keep him safe. You should do the same with your child. Remember, in most cases, head banging is a stage and it shall pass.

Amanda Compton is a work at home mom to 2 little boys. She owns and publishes a fun site for Babies and Moms, http://www.ContestForMoms.com featuring a free baby photo contest, mom forums, and lots of baby & mom information. Check out her Baby & Toddler Parenting & News site too, http://www.OurSmartBaby.com