Child Sleeping
At Every Turn > Primary Care > Head banging while sleeping: Is your child okay?
Tips Mar 19, 2014

Head banging while sleeping: Is your child okay?

Louella Amos, MD, Pulmonologist

Head banging is a type of rhythmic movement that healthy infants and children may use to fall asleep at the beginning of the night and during normal nighttime arousals in the middle of the night. Other similar rhythmic behaviors include body rolling or body rocking. Common scenarios:

  • Being on their hands and knees and hitting their head repeatedly on the pillow
  • Hitting the back of their head against the wall, crib or headboard
  • Rolling from side to side
  • Humming or moaning with these movements

Is this disturbing to the parents? Yes. Is this abnormal? Most often no.

Soothing, repetitive movements

Many normal children find these repetitive movements soothing and only engage in these behaviors at night. Parents fear that they will hurt their heads with the banging, but they won’t.

It is important to make sure they won’t fall out of bed. Decreasing the amount of noise by moving the bed or crib away from the wall or tightening screws on the bed frame may keep the rest of the household from waking up in the middle of the night. It is also essential to not draw attention to the head banging — if your child is otherwise healthy and normal, it is best to ignore the nighttime behavior.

Most children outgrow the head banging and body rocking by age 5; however these rhythmic movements have been seen in adolescents and adults as well.

When should parents worry?

Children with developmental disorders such as autism may have these rhythmic, repetitive movements during both the day and night. Sometimes, children have other sleep disorders that make it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep, and they use head banging to help them sleep. These children and other children who raise concern should be seen by a pediatric sleep specialist for evaluation.

Children's Wisconsin Resources

Children’s Wisconsin has more than 20 primary care offices conveniently located throughout the Milwaukee area and southeast Wisconsin. Find a pediatrician near you. View more articles from Louella Amos, MD

Related stories

How kids can safely use artificial intelligence Children's Wisconsin
Tips Aug 20, 2025

Rise of the Machines: What Parents Should Know About AI and Kids

Kate Bennett, DSW, LCSW Behavioral Health Consultant

What parents can do to help their kids use AI in safe and healthy ways.

How to identify and treat head lice in children Children's Wisconsin
Tips Aug 15, 2025

How To Identify and Treat Head Lice in Children

Sarah Mooney, MD Pediatrician

Lice are annoying, but they are harmless and do not spread disease.

Top 5 things parents should know about hand, foot and mouth disease Children's Wisconsin
Tips Aug 11, 2025

What Parents Should Know About Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease

Cheryl Cameron, MD Pediatrician

Hand, foot and mouth disease is a mild but highly contagious viral infection that is common in young children.

Measles outbreak United States 2025 Children's Wisconsin
Tips Aug 08, 2025

Measles Outbreak Shows Importance of Getting Your Kids Vaccinated

Frank Zhu, MD Medical Director

The recent measles outbreak is a regrettable reminder to all of us of just how preventable this disease truly is when your child is vaccinated.

How to get kids to talk about the feelings Children's Wisconsin mental and behavioral health
Tips Aug 07, 2025

How To Help Your Young Child Talk About Their Feelings

Janelle Clark, LPC Behavioral Health Consultant

Children who find healthy ways to express their feelings are more likely to develop positive relationships with others, feel more confident and perform better in school.

Common newborn skin ailments Children's Wisconsin
Tips Jul 18, 2025

Baby Blemishes: Seven Common Skin Conditions in Newborns

Stephen Humphrey, MD Pediatric Dermatologist

Seven common skin conditions that affect newborns, how to treat them and when to see a doctor.

Building the Confidence Muscle: How To Help Kids Learn To Stand Up for Themselves Children's Wisconsin
Tips Jul 17, 2025

Building the Confidence Muscle: How To Help Kids Learn To Stand Up for Themselves

Jamie Radant, LPC-IT Behavioral Health Consultant

Teaching kids how to stand up for themselves is a valuable skill that will serve them well throughout life.