Rocking and head-bopping?

[kate42]

Hi, mamas. I have a question about my almost-7 y.o. DD.

Since birth, she has always done some sort of rhythmic motion to fall asleep. When she was a baby, she would thump her legs up and down, over and over. As a toddler/preschooler, she would get up on hands and knees and rock.

Now, she "bops" her head into her pillow at night. She lies face down and moves her head up and down, bopping ( her word for it ) her head into her owl pillow.

She also rocks back and forth in her carseat. I asked her about it this morning, she said that it just makes her feel better, but she can't describe how.

I looked online and found something called Rhythmic Movement Disorder. Is anyone familiar with this? Should I be worried that she is doing it? It doesn't bother her at all, but it bothers me because I don't understand it.

Thanks so much!

kate

[hadleys_mom]

It sounds like a sensory need to me. She may be sensory seeking. If you do a google search for Sensory Processing Disorder, you can easily find articles on sensory seeking kids with SPD. We all have things that we do that are sensory needs, it is only a problem when those sensory needs are interfering with daily life. In other words, you problem don't need to worry about it if she bops her head for 10 minutes and then falls asleep. Now if it took 2 hours to get her to calm down to fall asleep and the whole time she was bopping her head...well, I'd suggest looking into a good occupational therapist to learn some techniques for getting her sensory needs met in other ways. My daughter rocks her self when she is trying to sit still and pay attention. The rocking makes her feel good and occupies her so she can concentrated. Seems counter productive but for her system it works...but she was a 23 week preemie and as a result has SPD and is visually impaired.

[Asiago]

Maybe it's the vestibular stimulation. It's similar to lulling infants to sleep with motion, that comfort of movement like in the womb.
My friend's son has sensory issues (6 yrs) and he also try to move his head and get vestibular stimulation.

[lyterae]

I saw this in new posts and stopped in because of the "rocking". I rock... I'm almost 25 and I have for as long as I can remember. I actually didn't notice it until I got married and my husband commented on it. It normally doesn't happen unless I'm strung out emotionally or really tired. It's... a comfort measure almost I would say.

[peainthepod]

My toddler does this for about 10 minutes before he goes to sleep. He's been doing it since he was six months old. When he really gets going he can actually scoot his Pack n' Play across the floor! When we first noticed it, DH and I both kind of freaked out, but I did some reading (and consulted our doctor) and learned that about 20% of children do this as a self-soothing behavior and most grow out of it by the end of toddlerhood. But some people continue to do it even into adulthood. It's not a problem unless it interferes with daily life, as a PP said, or they're doing it and injuring themselves and not seeming to react to or notice the pain.

Unnerving, definitely, but unless you have other reasons to be concerned, I wouldn't worry too much.

[bonamarq]

I did this rocking well into late teens early 20's- as a toddler it was kind of like you described - as I got older, I would lie on my side and go back and forth - sort of calmed and tired me out... I did this until I had to force myself to stop b/c of partner - oddly, I would on occasion revert to it when sleeping alone for more then several days at a stretch...

I agree that it is sensory - but that doesn't mean daughter has SPD - she has obviously found her own way of self regulating this need (although it's worth checking out info on this in case she does have some difficulties, behaviorally or academically)

[kate42]

Hi everyone, OP here.

Thank you so much for all of your insight!

I'm guessing it may be a combo of sensory-seeking and self-soothing...does that sound possible? She never does this unless she's tired. In the car, she usually only rocks in the morning, so she may still be a little sleepy.

I've done some more reading on the Rythmic Movement disorder, and while the physical actions sound like what she's doing, some of the other elements do not. This disorder has been linked to sleep apnea, which I don't think she has. It doesn't happen while she's asleep, only the few minutes it takes for her to fall asleep. Once she's asleep, she's out like a light and very rarely wakes up during the night.

It has also been linked to ADHD, which in all honesty, may apply to DD. When she was younger (from about 2-4.5) she was always "that kid", kwim? She never had issues with attention, but hyperactivity...

Thanks again, mamas.