my dd is hitting me in the face | Autism PDD

I agree with Donny's mom...she's either doing it for a reason or boredom...try to find out the 'trigger' and if there isn't one apparent try ignoring. Good advise Donny's mom!

I know exactly how you feel. My 3 year old is still injuring all of us on occasion. He's 3 and still doesn't understand punishment and time out. like the previous reply. "block it or duck", I wish i had some other advice for you. I spoke to my doctor about this type of behavior and she gave me literature on discipline and time outs, she had no other answers. Even she doesn't understand that most methods of discipline used today do not work for our children because they require language skills and language understanding to implement. frustrating i know.

maybe she's being reinforced because of your reaction? Might try just ignoring it - make it boring for her. She might stop doing it if nothing interesting happens as a response. Just a thought.Well, if she has no language yet, I'd first try to figure out why she's
doing it by paying close attention to when she's doing it, and what
response she normally gets.

For example, if she always does it following or during a certain activity,
and you always stop the activity, she may be hitting you to get the activity
to stop.

If it seems this is why she's doing it, to stop an activity, then depending
on the activity I would either block the hitting and push through the
activity (if it's something necessary), so that she learns hitting does not
mean getting out of it, or avoiding the activity or stopping it sooner if it's
not a necessary activity.

Another possibility, as Fred suggested, is if she seems to be doing it at
random, and you are responding consistently, she may be doing it for
your reaction. If that's the case, don't give her one.

Other possible causes are sensory - if it seems to be a sensory thing, try
redirecting her, every time she goes to hit you, to hitting a toy drum, or
clapping her hands, or slapping her own thighs, for example.

And finally, it could be that this is just an attempt, albeit inappropriate, to
interact. If it were me, and I thought that was the case, I would
consistently, every time she did it, get up, turn your back, and ignore her
for a couple of minutes. If she likes interaction with you, she will quickly
learn that hitting leads to no more interaction.

She doesn't need to have language to understand any of these
approaches, so hopefully one of them will be useful to you!

Just a thought, is she looking for sensory input. A therapist taught me to massage her feet when she started hitting (squeeze firmly like a handshake) it distracted her and calmed her. It did only work for awhile though.

My son is nonverbal, his receptive is questionable. I firmly say no, hurts mommy and put him down. He then starts self inflicting so I know it takes a lot of work to figure out something that will help.

block it with your arms. Try punishing her with time out. She is 2 yrs and 8 days old - completely non verbal and NO receptive language eother.... she doeant understand Time out! - how do I stiop her? I have done the whole "do nice" thing for over a month now.. she keeps on literally hitting me in theface and believe me it hurts - I am beginning to lose my cool and I screamed at her today- . Please advise.jeeze, i dont think i ever hit my parents, and if I did i only did it once!!!

Thats unacceptable, i dont know how you should stop it but I know in my house I woulda regretted the day I did something like that.what if you smacked her hand when she did this ?

I tried doing just that 2 days ago - smacked her hand (on her forehand by the knuckles)but she doesnt get it.. she thought I am "inviting" her to play some game and started hitting HERSELF. I dont want her to do that.

U gusy - thanks for the advice.. I am going to try every approach and chart this bec honestly I am getting "REALLY" annoyed.. I am vary and uncomfy to pick jer up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I truly know how you feel. C used to be a hitter/slapper, but suddenly for no particular reason is a pincher/scratcher- I have the marks to prove it. He just turned 4. He is only starting to be verbal. The only thing that workks even a little is making him do"nice hands"...say "nice hands" no hit, calmly, and hand over hand, make your dd rub you arm once nicely. Praise her. THen move on to something QUICK with her that will engage her for a least a minute or two. Over time, this has helped C some. I also find the more angry I get, the WORSE he gets. Wish I haf better advice. Goodlucka nd I know how you feel. Hope this helps.

BB has done this far more often to DW than I.

We used to try and process it, but it has proven to be straight-up impulse or maladaptive behavior. He will actually say, "No hitting" while he is doing it. Then he will kick and say, "No Kicking."

We have tried two approaches:

1. The "Peel and Walk." That is to simply remove oneself from the behavior. Problem is...he gives chase.

2. Time out in his room. This seems to have the best effect when done properly. DW still does not really seem to get that she needs to not communicate with him during this time. When done right he comes out truly apologetic and the behavior stops after he has had some decompression time in a safe place. (1-3 minutes).

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Then its probably a very good chance that its sensory

Rita have you done a sensory diet with her

Ok not to flag a dead horse again.. but my dd continues to hit me HARD in the face and on my head. There is NO reason. Infact, it is everytime I pick her up WHILE IN A GREAT MOOD!

I am gettong REALLY peeved off now.. bec it HURTS - it physically hurts me when she whacks me like that and moreover it spoild everyone's mood thereafter bec I get annoyed...I can't figure this out. She is happy and smiling and I pick her up either bec she wants to be picked up or bec we are interacting/playing....and she starts hitting me and giggling... it sounds crazy but its like some sensory pleasure for her to hit me!!She giggles and laughs when she does it.. Please advise... I have started firmly putting her down.. U see my point.. the interaction ends there.
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