Why Do Children Rock and Head Bang in Their Sleep?
We know that babies often fall asleep when they are rocked back and forth rhythmically by adults. Sometimes, babies even rock themselves to sleep. Children, too, sometimes rock themselves to sleep. When these rhythmic movements become intense, it results in head banging and body rocking, which are known as “rhythmic movement disorders”. Rhythmic movement disorders may involve some type of rocking, rolling, or head banging. Your child may do this mostly when he is falling asleep (at naptime or bedtime) and then settle down once asleep. Since children tend to wake several times during the night, they may need to rock, or even bang their heads, to go back to sleep. Do not be surprised if your child does this rocking and head banging at bedtime and several times during the night.
