Children have different ways of expressing themselves. You may not understand them sometimes, yet it is necessary for you to try. In getting yourself to know their form of communication, you can best attend to their needs.
A child might behave in weird manners that one is left dazed. Sometimes we might react harshly to the child or even smile back at them. Depending on your reaction, the child can either choose to stop or continue with their behavior.
These outrageous behaviors are common in children, especially when trying to fall asleep. They may intentionally hit their heads on the wall, rock themselves, or even pull hair. They can also resort to pinching you. Why? You ask! That’s precisely the reason for this article.
Despite knowing why the child does this, you should also know how and when to stop this behavior. It would be best if you knew the right time to seek help.
Why Does the Child Pinch While Falling Asleep?
Pinching is one of the many self-soothing ways that children have. How can pinching be soothing? What goes on in a child’s mind when doing this? Some children do this as a way of expressing that they are not getting one on one contact with the parent or guardian. To them, this is their way of making up for this loss by seeking for it.
Pinching’s repetitive behavior helps the child release excess energy before they can wind off and sleep. In doing so, they get a calming effect, which allows them to sleep.
This may happen to some children due to learning disorders, autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and ADHD.
You might notice this behavior during a child’s development transition or when they are stressed or disturbed about something. As a parent, you should try to be keen enough to note these changes.
What Should You Do About This Behavior?
Once we have established the causes of this behavior, we should strive to address them. As a parent, you should be able to identify whether your child gets enough of your attention or not. Even though today’s world is busy and on the run, we should prioritize children in our time. It would be best if you tried to set some bonding and cuddling time with your child.
It is also crucial to evaluate your family to see whether there’s any stressful situation you are going through. If such a case exists, address it for the sake of your child’s peace.
It would help if you also were careful about your child’s sleeping time. If the baby sleeps too early, they will vent off excess energy in pinching or any other form. They should not sleep late also. It is best to put them to bed when they are sleepy already.
You should not, however, behave violently with your child whenever they do this. It would be best if you instead object to this behavior with a firm but calm NO. If you do otherwise, they will tend to repeat the action. Always remember to remain calm. If the child is old enough to understand, talk to them about the situation and try to find out their feelings.
When to Be Concerned
Although such behavior is normal for children, at other times, it may be an indicator of some other medical condition. Although mentioned before, we’ll still highlight them again.
Autism and ADHD
Children with autism fixate on repeating some behaviors regularly. On the other hand, those with ADHD will tend to unleash excess energy through repetitive actions.
Tourette Syndrome
When a child continually has the urge to perform a particular action, again and again, this syndrome might be the reason.
Having underlined all these, knowing the drawing line for this behavior is crucial. If you have already addressed the possible causes and the pinching persists, you should consult a physician. The doctor will then address the violent behavior of the child pinching you or themselves. He will conduct a further assessment for proper diagnosis.
Generally, if you are concerned that your child’s actions could be a sign of a severe problem, talk to your doctor. This information helps you as a parent make an informed decision for your child’s overall health.
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