Toddler Self Mutilation

I am a single mother of a twenty month old. My child has begun to bite himself, pull his hair out, and bang his head on things out of anger. These tantrums appear to be getting worse. He has even been so mad that he bit his gums until they bled. It began as simply biting himself out of frustration but has turned into a complete melt-down. I am very concerned that there is an underlying issue that I don't want to go unnoticed. Do you have any insight?


There may be so many things going on that it is difficult to say. One thing we know is your child is feeling distress, and he is having difficulty expressing it. It would appear these gestures are an attempt to self soothe this distress.

It could be something as simple as sensory integration or gastric distress, to something much more complex. Young children often due to their lack of verbal skills will act out their behavior. I would try to ensure that nothing physical is going on with him. If their is a psychoogist or clinic in our area that specializes in early childhood, I would recommend a fully assessment.

Good luck to you, and please keep us updated.

Sincerely,

Kristen mcClure