My ASD Child

"What can be done for a child on the autism spectrum who hits himself in the head (very hard) when he is frustrated? We have the scars to prove it!" Deliberate Self-Harm (DSH) is defined as the intentional, direct injuring of body tissue (most often done without suicidal intentions). Forms of DSH may include burning, hair-pulling, head-banging, hitting body parts with the fist, ingestion of toxic substances or objects, interfering with wound-healing, skin-cutting, eye-poking, hand-biting, and excessive self-rubbing. DSH is one of the most devastating behaviors exhibited by children with Asperger’s (AS) and High-Functioning Autism (HFA). There are many possible reasons why a child on the autism spectrum may engage in DSH. The two main reasons for such behavior appear to be physiological and social. Possible Physiological Reasons for Deliberate Self-Harm— An AS or HFA child may engage in head-banging in an attempt to actually reduce pain (e.g., pain from a