Head banging
早上起床看到小馨又在打頭，爸爸跟她說不要打，可是她愈打，看了真不舒服，雖然知道這是正常現象，但還是忍不住擔心。
Why does my toddler purposely bang his head?
Head banging is surprisingly common. Up to 20 percent of babies and toddlers bang their head on purpose, although boys are three times more likely to do it than girls. Head banging often starts in the second half of the first year and peaks between 18 and 24 months of age. Your child's head banging habit may last for several months, or even years, though most children outgrow it by age 3.
Possible reasons your toddler may bang his head:
• Self-comfort. As strange as it may sound, most toddlers who indulge in this behavior do it to relax. They bang their head rhythmically as they're falling asleep, when they wake up in the middle of the night, or even while they're sleeping. Some rock on all fours as well. Developmental experts believe that the rhythmic motion, like rocking in a chair, may help your toddler soothe himself.
• Pain relief. Your toddler may also bang his head if he's in pain — from teething or an ear infection, for example. Head banging seems to help kids feel better, perhaps by distracting them from the discomfort in their mouth or ear.
• Frustration. If your toddler bangs his head during temper tantrums, he's probably trying to vent some strong emotions. He hasn't yet learned to express his feelings adequately through words, so he's using physical actions. And again, he may be comforting himself during this very stressful event.
• A need for attention. Ongoing head banging may also be a way for your toddler to get attention. Understandably, you may tend to become solicitous when you see your child doing something that appears self-destructive. And since he likes it when you fuss over his behavior, he may continue the head banging in order to get the attention he wants.
• A developmental problem. Head banging can be associated with autism and other developmental disorders — but in most of these cases, it's just one of many behavioral red flags. Rarely does head banging alone signal a serious problem.
Thumb-sucking
也許因為小馨喝母奶的關係，她不喜歡奶嘴，也不會吸自己手指頭，也許小馨藉由吸媽咪的ㄋㄟㄋㄟ獲得了滿足感。梓熏就比較讓人擔心了，已經四歲了還無法完全戒除吸手手的習慣，唉∼
Why it happens
Toddlers suck their thumbs because it's comforting and calming. Your toddler probably practiced this habit while he was still in the womb and perfected it as an infant. Now he may turn to his thumb when he's tired, scared, bored, sick, or trying to adjust to challenges such as starting preschool or going on a long car ride. He may also use his thumb to fall asleep at bedtime and to lull himself back to sleep when he wakes up in the middle of the night.
What to do about it
Don't worry. The American Dental Association says most children can safely suck their thumb — without damaging the alignment of their teeth or jaws — until their permanent teeth begin to appear. (Permanent teeth don't usually erupt until around age 6.) Also, not all children's thumb-sucking is equally damaging. Experts say it's the intensity of the sucking and the tongue's thrust that deforms teeth and makes braces necessary later. Children who rest their thumb passively in their mouth are less likely to have difficulty than children who suck aggressively. Watch your child and analyze his technique. If he sucks vigorously, you may want to begin curbing his habit earlier, say at age 4.
If your child's thumb becomes red and chapped from sucking, you can try applying a moisturizing ointment, cream, or lotion while he's sleeping. (If you apply it while he's awake, it may just end up in his mouth.).
Let it go. Nagging or punishing your child won't help, because he doesn't usually realize when he's sucking away. Besides, pressuring him to stop may intensify his desire to do it even more. And techniques such as putting an elastic bandage on his thumb will seem like unjust punishment, especially since he indulges in the habit for comfort and security. Try to wait it out. Children usually give up thumb-sucking when they've found other ways to calm and comfort themselves, says pediatrician Suzanne Dixon. For example, while a toddler who's hungry may suck his thumb, an older child (age 3 or 4) might simply open the refrigerator and look for something to eat or ask his parents for a snack instead.
Preempt the thumb-sucking with other activities. If you can identify times and places when your child is particularly likely to suck his thumb — while watching television, for example — you might try giving him a substitute, such as a rubber ball to bounce or puppets to play with. If he tends to suck his thumb when he's tired, work more naps into his schedule. Or if he turns to it when he's frustrated, help him put his feelings into words. The key is to notice when and where sucking occurs, and divert his attention by offering an alternative.
