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Expert Q&A
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| By Dr. Vincent J. Kopp Pediatrician Pediatric Anesthesiologist | ||
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My 2-year-old son bangs his head when he goes to sleep. Does this mean that he is being abused or is he disturbed about something?
Repetitive behaviors sometime signal more serious problems, especially if they result in injury, but more often than not they represent a self-limiting habit confined to a certain stage of development. Fatigue sometimes exaggerates such behaviors. The need for positive attention may also result in such behaviors. Rarely does isolated head banging signal serious illness but this is not always true. It is good to remain vigilant. The described behavior bears monitoring and medical consultation if it persists, changes or becomes associated with other signs of social withdrawal, self-mutilation or neurologic harm.
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