Help pls

Adam has this new thing he does, he shakes his head from side to side.  It (obviously, because I am paranoid mother) worries me.  Is this normal?  Do I need to take him to the doctor?

I first thought it might be an ear infection, but I don’t so.  He does not have a fever, he does not rub or pull at his ears.  Most importantly, he is not miserable or unhappy.  And he is the type of child that will let me know, in no uncertain terms, when he is not happy.

So, what could it be?  Could it be any of the following:

·    ear ache / ear infection?
·    nervous tic?
·    sign of potential neurological disorder of epic proportions?
·    sign of autism?
·    a sign that my breath stinks?
·    a sign that he is signing ‘bugger off mother’ in baby sign language?

I tried Dr Google but I got lots of hits for shaken baby syndrome, which is particularly upsetting.

He seems to think its funny when he does it.  Is he deliberately trying to fuck with my mind, the little bastard?

What is it?

Comments

[hawa]

heiii.i read about you in readest digest asia .good for you.

[Rhonda]

Might just be a way to self-calm.

Is he doing it to help himself fall asleep? My brother (non-autistic, perfectly normal) rocked his head back and forth when he fell asleep for *years*, through his infancy, childhood, and well into his teen years.

He's 33 now and for all I know he might do it still. I should ask him.

[e]

Is he laughing when he does it, or staring into space? Many babies self-soothe like that, or by head-banging, behaviours which are also used, or rather continue to be used, by autistic children. By which I do NOT mean that Adam is autistic, just that autistic children continue with baby-like ways of self-soothing. Babies do have a way of messing with our addled little minds. I'm sure that 40 years ago, you'd just have laughed it off. Now we just know too much. My brother slept upside-down in a sleeping bag, or in his wardrobe, or both, for several years, but he is a perfectly competent adult now.

[Jenn]

My DD used to do this because she thought it was funny. She did it for a few weeks, maybe a month and then got bored with it. Is it voluntary movement or is he not able to control it?

It looked like she was saying "No" to everything... ahhh when that was cute.

I hope it's just something that Adam's doing for fun. My vote is that he's trying to mess with your mind.

[Tony]

Carl does it as well - he gets a sly little smile and shakes his head - maybe they get a little dizzy and enjoy the sensation? I started wondering about autism, but it is clearly a controlled, fun thing for them to do, I'm not worried about it, especially now that I know of someone else who does it! Enjoy it and take a video for his 21st!

[Kathleen999]

Nicky does it when he's tired. He always needs a blankie or stuffed animal to cuddle against the side of his face to go to sleep. So he shakes his head to look for it. I would guess it's a sign of being sleepy? If he's not sleepy, he's probably just experimenting with how it feels.

[cheryl b.]

Do you remember waaayyyy back when in math class when you (and by "you" I mean "me") would fall asleep and then wake up with a jerk and shake your head vigorously to try and stay awake? Ya, me neither. But Xavier used to do that when he was tired because he just couldn't bear the thought of missing any fun. Babies are nuts, I love sleeping.

[Pepper]

"Is he deliberately trying to fuck with my mind, the little bastard?"
Almost certainly. Gromit does this and has for ages...sometimes when he's going to sleep (particularly in the car seat), sometimes when he thinks he's being funny, and sometimes just cos...he shrugs his shoulders all the time too. Babies are just weird.

[Jeni]

My little boy Matthew (7.5mo) has started doing it too, especially when he's in his high chair! No idea why though, glad he's not the only one!

[elin]

both of mine did this around the same age. i think they are testing their eyes and the dizzy sensation. mine would try to look sideways and do it too. i thought it was funny. if he thinks it's funny you should probably not worry!

[Dani]

Although it is probably just him saying ‘bugger off mother’ in baby sign language (tehehehe!) it wouldn't hurt to mention it to the OT that did his eval. Some children (and adults) do that while they are craving sensory input. If so, then the OT would just be able to give you activities to do with him that will fill this need in a way that won't fuck with your mind. :)

[Carrie]

I would bet he's fucking with you. He probably did it once for some good reason, thought it felt fun, so he tried it again. Now he sees your reaction, thinks it is funny to get a reaction, so he keeps it up. He'll get bored of it.

My daughter has taken to putting her fingers down her throat to make herself gag when she is in her car seat. I swear she ages me another year every time I hear her choking back there and can't see what she is doing. She thinks this is hysterically funny. I will use this against her someday.

[Mary]

Ben was doing this too...he would tilt his head to the side, almost like he was trying to be shy but he would smile...I think it had something to do with the sensation. Anyway, he grew out of it and doesnt do it anymore. (I was freaked too and posted to my moms group message board where everyone told me I was a nut) Now that Ben shakes his head "no", he doesnt do the tilt thing anymore. Just a new trick that he has to get out of his system. Hope this helps!

[Pam]

Zach starting doing that when he was 6 months old, just because it was fun. I suspect it's the equivalent of spinning in a circle until you make yourself dizzy, and since Adam can't do that yet (just wait!), it's the best thrill he can give himself.

In sum: our pediatrician said it's perfectly normal - not an ear infection or other "brain thing".

[blackbird]

My genius theory?
Much the same.
He gets a little dizzy.
And he likes it.

Obviously going to be a drinker.

[NotAParent]

I don't have children, but have a friend whose child was doing this at the age of 6 or 7 months a few months ago. She did it mostly when tired. They took her to three specialists (even after the first one said there was nothing wrong with the child) and all three said there was nothing at all wrong with her. They even brought a video of her shaking her head with them to the doctor. She stopped doing it about 2 months after she started--for what it's worth from a non-parent, non-doctor, it sounds to me like just a phase.

[Woodys Girl]

Like many have already said, this seems to be a normal baby phase (though not ALL babies do it), and likely is nothing to worry about. If he doesn't seem to be in pain, and seems able to control the movement, he's probably doing it on purpose... just because he *can.* ;-)

FWIW, my husband remembers doing this well into his childhood when bored or trying to put himself to sleep. I'll have to ask his boss if DH ever does this during particularly long meetings. LOL

No worries, buddy. Adam's just trying out some new skills!

[Billie]

Tertia,
Eden started nodding her head up and down. Like Adam, she smiled and seemed to think it was cute. Like you, I freaked out and thought she musy be having seizures and tried to google it. That, of course, just made it worse for me. As a test I tried teaching her to shake her head back and forth too. Now she watches us and smiles and nods, thens shakes her head, like she can't decide if she should say yes or no. I have finally conceded with my husband and agree that she is imitating us and thinks it is fun!
Billie

[shari]

One of my twins did that too, around 6 months old and it lasted a few months....turned out to just be a phase! She also thought it was funny and seemed really happy when she did it, but of course I freaked out (even more so because her twin sister DIDN'T do it).

Completely understand your concern, but I betcha it's just a phase.

HTH :)

[Shauna]

I am no parent yet, so take with requisite grains of salt: it sounds like Adam has discovered that can make his head shake. So he is learning in that way that babies do, by repetition.
My friend's daughter did the same thing - it wasn't a sign of "no", as she did it out of the blue, but she clearly found this new movement fascinating. Imagine the whole word moving from side to side, for the very first time! Trippy, dude.

[karyn]

My son started doing that around the same time. I think he just learned how to do it and liked how it felt and so kept doing it. Nwo he is 20 months old and has stopped doing it and instead shifts his eyes back and forth with a strange grin on his face. My husband says he looks like a ventriloquists dummy. He's not too far off with that image!

I think kids just learn different things and then get mildly obsessed with them as they are something new and exciting. Once they learn something else new, they will stop the first thing almost completely.

I'm sure Adam is fine, just being a little PITA as perusual.

[Cory]

He's just doing it because it's a new sensation. Makes his head feel different (dizzy) and makes his vision different (blurry). And it's silly...babies heading into the tot phase are learning they can control different body parts and that repetitive things are funny!
My son (almost two) recently discovered that by covering his ears, things sound different. So he walks around covering his ears with his hands, then uncovering, then covering...etc etc. When he first started doing it, our first instinct was the same as yours--ear infection? But then we figured out that he just thought it was funny, and he still thinks it's funny a month later!

[Elizabeth]

my niece went thru a phase where that was her favorite thing to do. Especially when we were eating dinner.

[mar]

I had a friend (childless), who upon watching my 6 month old son shove food up his nose, asked incredulously "Why would he do that???"""

My answer - "Because he can."

More than likely, he just is enjoying the fact that he can do it. As long as he's not unhappy (and as you said, he's not shy about letting you know about that!!), I wouldn't worry about it. After all, we do things like ride roller coasters, merry go rounds, and drink wine - all of which make us a bit dizzy, right? :-)

[Accidental Poet]

Tertia this post made me smile, because my son used to do this ALL the time. He just liked the way it felt. And then his big sister started shaking her head back at him - and oh! the power! I can make the Big Sister do something!! It was really cute and it makes me miss that age for a brief second :)

Susan

[LurkerPoster]

Tertia, its okay. My 9 month old does this. Learned it at a graduation party when he cousin started rubbing noses with him. Everyone thought it was cute and laughed, smirked, whatever. Now he does it (shakes head side to side all by himself) and looks to see who is watching/admiring him. If anyone has done this in front of Adam (rubbing noses, shaking their head "no", etc.), Adam will do it for the same reaction. Kate will too. They are only going to get more fun as time goes on.

[giddy]

My daughter does it too....smiles, shakes head, then laughs. Same deal---does it more when she gets a good reaction from onlookers. Now I respond by nodding and saying yes...and she shakes and says no. You know, a typical mother-daughter relationship.......

As others have said, she lost interest after about a month, and the current fave trick is making clicking sounds. I make jokes about her trying to pick up Xhosa in her spare time here in the states....it occurs to me to ask, Xhosa *IS* the language with clicks, isn't it?

[Judy]

My older son did this - I guess it was a "sensation" that he enjoyed - kind of like spinning until you are too dizzy to stand up anymore. He'll be six tomorrow and is a GREAT kid, healthy, fun...and doesn't shake his head anymore.

I wouldn't worry about it - make it fun! Rub noses, do eskimo kisses, he'll love it!

[Stacey]

He probably just learned to rock his head side to side.

[Toni]

My third son did this, mostly when tired, sometimes when feeling cheeky. It was disconcerting at first, I'll admit, but it helped knowing my friend's son would do this very same thing when tired. Must be a guy thing. :)

[Vanessa]

Dear Tertia,

My son used to do it all the time when he was around Adam's age. Here is a video to prove it:

First sample
and
Second sample

My son is now 2 years and 4 months and is as normal as any other child, but if you are very worried just talk to their Pediatrician for peace of mind.

[Faith]

Another to say it's just a phase. Dharma did this for a month or two. Wore the hair off the back of her head.

[Jennifer G.]

Kids just do weird things, but I gotta hand it to them for finding ways to entertain themselves. Cory's comment about covering/uncovering ears made me laugh--I still remember being very little and very much enjoying doing that--quite rapidly--while my mother ran the vacuum cleaner! According to my mother, at a younger age I would HUMMMMMMMMMMM in one long continuous tone anytime we went anywhere in the car. She says it took them forever to figure out that I was just enjoying the little dips my HUMMMMMMMM would take anytime we went over a bump in the road.

Talk about autism paranoia, Tertia--how much would it freak you out to have a continually humming kid?? :) I think their little brains are just trying to figure it all out.

[BeckaJo]

Some babies do it just for the fun of it - as their eyes develop, they learn they can do things that make the world look funny. Try shaking your head yourself - it makes things wiggle!

Talk to their ped for reassurance, but it's probably nothing.

[Shevon]

Our girl does that. Never occured to me to worry about it. We just laugh. It's cute. She does a lot of random things, like scrunching up her face and opening and closing her hands and trying to crawl on her feet instead of on her knees. We just figure she's a silly little monkey.

[Shevon]

Our girl does that. Never occured to me to worry about it. We just laugh. It's cute. She does a lot of random things, like scrunching up her face and opening and closing her hands and trying to crawl on her feet instead of on her knees. We just figure she's a silly little monkey.

[Erika]

My Gary (4 months) does it, too. I was also starting to worry a bit. He seems to mostly do it when waking up and he's a bit out of it. It has sort of a Stevie Wonder look to it, if you know what I mean.

[missbanshee]

He's fucking with you, T. To Adam, it's probably the most hilarious thing in the world. Just wait until they discover mirrors and "rehearse" tantrums and breakdowns in them to see what they look like. Talk about weirdo babes!

[Michele]

My son (10 months) does it when there is music on. It's his way of dancing. Very cute. The first time he did it, I thought he was having a seizure & freaked out, but now it's cute.

[Heather]

definitley messing with his Mama...mine does the same, started very early on and now had progressed to spinning in cricles...likes to be dizzy, I guess :o)

[Heather]

spinning the whole body round, not just the head.....

[Kathy]

· ear ache / ear infection? - maybe *See Below
· nervous tic? - probably not
· sign of potential neurological disorder of epic proportions? - doubt it
· sign of autism? - seriously doubt it -- to the point of NO WAY
· a sign that my breath stinks? uh, when was the last time you brushed?
· a sign that he is signing ‘bugger off mother’ in baby sign language? - probably.
· Is he deliberately trying to fuck with my mind, the little bastard? Of course!

Seriously -- if you are bothered, either call or take him to the ped. It never hurts to ask, especially about ear infections. *My daughter had them fairly frequently but never had the classic signs.

[KatS]

Very normal. Do it back, he'll laugh!

[21stCenturyMom]

Based on what all the other Moms are saying it sounds like the non-walking infant equivalent of spinning in circles until you fall down. Fun, fun, fun!

[Meg]

Tertia! My Hayley does it too -- she only started a couple weeks ago. She does it to communicate. She waits very intently for me to do it back, and only does it when she's feeling settled and enjoying life. It makes her laugh when I do it back.

My Nicholas (now 5) used to do it too, but he did the blonde thing of shaking his head like he was trying to touch his ears to his shoulders, not shaking his head no like Hayley does. But again it was a communication thing, he wanted us to do it back.

[Laura(southernxyl)]

My daughter did that too. I asked the ped. about it and he said she was just getting a buzz.

[amy]

I also have a preemie - but he likes rocking back and forth more than head shaking. I of course panicked when he started doing it. I asked our PT (physical therapist) and our Early Intervention Developmental Specialist if this could be a sign that something was wrong. They both assured me that it is fairly typical for babies (my son’s corrected age is 6 months) to find some sort of repetitive movement to help them calm down/self-soothe. The PT also added that it has something to do with the limbic and vestibular systems – that these tiny movements feel like riding a roller coaster feels to us. Some babies love that feeling. They did mention that this was developmentally appropriate behavior, but that if it continues past a certain age then there might be more to it – so don’t worry (ha! we always worry).

However, that said – you should do what you need to do in order to feel happy and confident that your child is healthy. I just took my son to the doctor because he was fake coughing. I knew he was faking coughing, but I needed to be sure. My pediatrician (once a neonatologist) is very support of this – he wants us to be a healthy, happy family unit and sometimes it has more to do with the parents than the babies.

[Suzie-Q.]

Samantha does is it when i wake her up from her infant car seat to take her back into the the house. It is a reflex.
I think Adam likes to do b/c it makes him feel good.
And, i think he is fucking with you.

[Jill]

My twins were both headbangers. Likely had something to do with the music I exposed them to. I was worried as they would strike their heads hard on the wood floors and keep doing it. They are fine now - a year later - and now I see that it was just something new that they could do with their bodies and it stimulated them...screws with yoru mind as well, which is just the beginning of the rest of your life. If it is something you are worried about, nothing wrong with bringing him in for a quick check - for peace of mind, its a quick solution over fretting for a couple weeks about it. You don't have the time nor need the stress.

Good luck!

[Aurora]

My son does the same thing. It's his way of saying no and of just playing with me. I think it's funny, but I understand your concern, too. Don't worry, they just like to fuck with us and worry us over nothing. If it feels good or funny to them, they do it. No worries, mama.

[jane]

Didn't have time to read the posts but my three do this all the time, it's normal!!

[beck]

My nephew did this, too. He's about 2 months older than A and K and he LOVED to shake his head. Seemed to think it was a big joke and great fun! We'd shake our heads and he'd copy us and laugh and smile. We tried to get him to nod his head but I haven't seen him in a while so am not sure if he's learned that yet.
I say that if Adam doesn't seem to be annoyed or irritated about something when he does it then he's just fine.

[Kate]

My daughter who is 9 months old, head butts the wall every night until she falls asleep. She has been doing it for a few months now. Judging by the pics. he looks like a happy healthy baby.