Kimberly 07/27/2010
Question:
My 11-month-old likes to hit her head on the floor or the walls. She sometimes hits other people, too. She often seems frustrated and screams if she doesn't get what she wants. What can I do for her?
I suggest approaching this from two directions. First of all, help prevent the frustration by teaching your child to communicate even before she has words.
If she is frustrated when not getting what she wants because she cannot tell you what she wants, teach her ways to do just that. Sign language can be very helpful, and offer a way for children to tell you they are hungry or simply want more of something before they have the words.
On the other hand, if the problem is that she wants something she cannot have (your coffee, your earring, a sibling's toy) then her frustration is understandable. If offering an acceptable alterative or distracting her with something else fails to avoid the meltdown, she will need to work through it herself. In that case, it is important not to reinforce the behavior with attention or with "giving in," since that will only teach her that her behaviors are effective and further increase their frequency.