Headbutting

Anonymous

Headbutting

My almost 3 year old has developmental delays and suspected autism, is nonverbal and doesn't seem to understand most of what I say. Because of this he gets frustrated easily and lashes out, smashing his head into whatever hard surface he can find, or if i'm near him my face. I have been told that when he starts talking it should settle down, and to just ignore it but it's not doing much good right now. I have put padding around areas where he would often hit his head, but as soon as he realised it was cushioned he started smashing his head onto hard floors, and whatever else he could find that wasn't cushioned. He always has bruises and bumps on his head, some of which turned into sores that took months to heal because he would just keep smashing his head and reopening the sores. I tried taking him to child health nurses and doctors but I keep being told to just ignore it because its attention seeking, or that its frustration etc and it will pass with time.
He has given me black eyes, nosebleeds, busted my lip and caused so many bruises on my face that people have suspected my boyfriend is hitting me. I've tried to ignore it, told him no, I have tried to redirect his attention, and putting him in his room when he headbutts me but its not making a difference. I have been trying to get him to see specialists but apparently it's a long waiting list and he won't be a priority until he starts school. I don't know what else do.

Posted in:  Baby & Toddler, Aspergers & Autism

5 Replies

Anonymous

Where are you? I assume you have applied for NDIS funding under the ECEI stream? You don’t need a diagnosis for that. You can apply and receive funding while you wait for a diagnosis.
Personally as one autism mum to another it’s unusual that kids don’t receive therapy before they start school. So start finding private services, for speech therapy.
I’d also look at alternate communication methods. Not all kids develop speech and an alternate method will lower stress levels and encourage speech development.
Personally I found PECs (picture exchange communication system) a godsend, my son took to it like a duck to water. Some people use sign language and there are others.

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Anonymous

Trying to get any help through the public system is so slow that just a hearing test is booked up 5 months in advance so we ended up driving 5 hours each way to get it done sooner. We have tried teaching him to sign but so far he hasn't had much success. Will look into ndis, I thought you had to have a diagnosed condition first so I hadn't considered it. I watched a few videos about pecs and it looks promising :) thank you

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Anonymous

Not for children, and will help you pay for therapies in the private system while you wait for a diagnosis.

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Anonymous

If your in QLD apply for the local
ECDP

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Anonymous

Maybe try flash cards with him, so, if he wants say a drink, u can teach him to show u the drink flash card and so on. It may be a l okng shot but some non verbal kids work well with flash cards.

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