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Head-banging

MedGen UID:
42337
Concept ID:
C0018672
Mental or Behavioral Dysfunction
Synonym: Head Banging
SNOMED CT: Head banging (43954004); Head-banging (43954004)
 
HPO: HP:0012168

Definition

Habitual striking of one's own head against a surface such as a mattress or wall of a crib. [from HPO]

Term Hierarchy

Conditions with this feature

Smith-Magenis syndrome
MedGen UID:
162881
Concept ID:
C0795864
Disease or Syndrome
Smith-Magenis syndrome (SMS) is characterized by distinctive physical features (particularly coarse facial features that progress with age), developmental delay, cognitive impairment, behavioral abnormalities, sleep disturbance, and childhood-onset abdominal obesity. Infants have feeding difficulties, failure to thrive, hypotonia, hyporeflexia, prolonged napping or need to be awakened for feeds, and generalized lethargy. The majority of individuals function in the mild-to-moderate range of intellectual disability. The behavioral phenotype, including significant sleep disturbance, stereotypies, and maladaptive and self-injurious behaviors, is generally not recognized until age 18 months or older and continues to change until adulthood. Sensory issues are frequently noted; these may include avoidant behavior, as well as repetitive seeking of textures, sounds, and experiences. Toileting difficulties are common. Significant anxiety is common as are problems with executive functioning, including inattention, distractibility, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Maladaptive behaviors include frequent outbursts / temper tantrums, attention-seeking behaviors, opposition, aggression, and self-injurious behaviors including self-hitting, self-biting, skin picking, inserting foreign objects into body orifices (polyembolokoilamania), and yanking fingernails and/or toenails (onychotillomania). Among the stereotypic behaviors described, the spasmodic upper-body squeeze or "self-hug" seems to be highly associated with SMS. An underlying developmental asynchrony, specifically emotional maturity delayed beyond intellectual functioning, may also contribute to maladaptive behaviors in people with SMS.
Neurodevelopmental disorder with or without anomalies of the brain, eye, or heart
MedGen UID:
934739
Concept ID:
C4310772
Disease or Syndrome
RERE-related disorders are characterized by neurodevelopmental problems with or without structural anomalies of the eyes, heart, kidneys, and genitourinary tract and mild sensorineural hearing loss. Hypotonia and feeding problems are common among affected individuals. Developmental delay and intellectual disability range from mild to profound. Behavior problems may include attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, self-injurious behavior, and autism spectrum disorder. A variety of eye anomalies (coloboma, optic nerve anomalies, microphthalmia, and/or Peter's anomaly) and vision issues (myopia, anisometropia, astigmatism, exotropia, esotropia) have been reported. Congenital heart defects, most commonly septal defects, have also been described. Genitourinary abnormalities include vesicoureteral reflux, and cryptorchidism and hypospadias in males. Sensorineural hearing loss can be unilateral or bilateral.
Neurodevelopmental disorder with ataxia, hypotonia, and microcephaly
MedGen UID:
1684871
Concept ID:
C5231413
Disease or Syndrome
Noonan syndrome 13
MedGen UID:
1761918
Concept ID:
C5436773
Disease or Syndrome
Noonan syndrome (NS) is characterized by characteristic facies, short stature, congenital heart defect, and developmental delay of variable degree. Other findings can include broad or webbed neck, unusual chest shape with superior pectus carinatum and inferior pectus excavatum, cryptorchidism, varied coagulation defects, lymphatic dysplasias, and ocular abnormalities. Although birth length is usually normal, final adult height approaches the lower limit of normal. Congenital heart disease occurs in 50%-80% of individuals. Pulmonary valve stenosis, often with dysplasia, is the most common heart defect and is found in 20%-50% of individuals. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, found in 20%-30% of individuals, may be present at birth or develop in infancy or childhood. Other structural defects include atrial and ventricular septal defects, branch pulmonary artery stenosis, and tetralogy of Fallot. Up to one fourth of affected individuals have mild intellectual disability, and language impairments in general are more common in NS than in the general population.
Neurodevelopmental disorder with dysmorphic facies, sleep disturbance, and brain abnormalities
MedGen UID:
1777442
Concept ID:
C5436821
Disease or Syndrome
Neurodevelopmental disorder with dysmorphic facies, sleep disturbance, and brain abnormalities (NEDFASB) is a syndromic disorder with multisystemic involvement. Affected individuals have severe global developmental delay with severely impaired intellectual development, poor or absent language, behavioral abnormalities, seizures, and sleep disturbances. Craniofacial dysmorphisms, while variable, include round face, prognathism, depressed nasal bridge, and cleft or high-arched palate. Brain imaging shows dysgenesis of the corpus callosum and progressive cerebellar atrophy. Additional features may include genitourinary tract anomalies, hearing loss, and mild distal skeletal defects (summary by Humbert et al., 2020).
Onychodystrophy, osteodystrophy, impaired intellectual development, and seizures syndrome
MedGen UID:
1788511
Concept ID:
C5543496
Disease or Syndrome
Onychodystrophy, osteodystrophy, impaired intellectual development, and seizures syndrome (OORS) is an autosomal recessive syndromic developmental disorder characterized by global developmental delay with impaired intellectual development, dysmorphic facial features, and hypoplastic terminal phalanges and nails. Patients have seizures or tonic posturing. The disorder is associated with a defect in GPI anchoring of membrane-bound proteins (summary by Salian et al., 2021). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of GPI biosynthesis defects, see GPIBD1 (610293). See also DOORS syndrome (220500), which shows some overlapping clinical features.
Developmental delay with or without intellectual impairment or behavioral abnormalities
MedGen UID:
1794214
Concept ID:
C5562004
Disease or Syndrome
Developmental delay with or without intellectual impairment or behavioral abnormalities (DDIB) is an autosomal dominant disorder with a nonspecific phenotype of developmental delay. Additional features may include neonatal feeding problems, hypotonia, and dysmorphic facial features (Dulovic-Mahlow et al., 2019; van Woerden et al., 2021).
Neurodevelopmental disorder with hypotonia and speech delay, with or without seizures
MedGen UID:
1841290
Concept ID:
C5830654
Disease or Syndrome
Neurodevelopmental disorder with hypotonia and speech delay, with or without seizures (NEDHSS) is characterized by global developmental delay, impaired intellectual development with poor or absent speech, and fine and gross motor delay. Most affected individuals are severely affected and may be unable to walk, have feeding difficulties requiring tube-feeding, and develop early-onset seizures. Additional features may include cortical blindness and nonspecific structural brain abnormalities. Rare individuals present only with hypotonia and mild developmental delay (Paul et al., 2023).

Professional guidelines

PubMed

Furniss F, Biswas AB
J Intellect Disabil Res 2012 May;56(5):453-75. Epub 2012 Feb 28 doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2788.2012.01534.x. PMID: 22369696
Wills L, Garcia J
CNS Drugs 2002;16(12):803-10. doi: 10.2165/00023210-200216120-00002. PMID: 12421114
Rothner AD
Cleve Clin J Med 1989;56 Suppl Pt 2:S206-13. doi: 10.3949/ccjm.56.s1.206. PMID: 2659210

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

Del Bigio MR, Krawitz S, Sinha N
J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2023 Oct 20;82(11):948-957. doi: 10.1093/jnen/nlad079. PMID: 37846159Free PMC Article
Cassiello-Robbins C, Dillon KH, Blalock DV, Calhoun PS, Beckham JC, Kimbrel NA
J Psychiatr Res 2021 May;137:55-65. Epub 2021 Feb 16 doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.02.026. PMID: 33652327Free PMC Article
Patton D, McIntosh A
BMJ 2008 Dec 17;337:a2825. doi: 10.1136/bmj.a2825. PMID: 19091761Free PMC Article
Kassirer MR, Manon N
Clin J Pain 1993 Jun;9(2):138-41. doi: 10.1097/00002508-199306000-00010. PMID: 8358138
Abe K, Oda N, Amatomi M
Dev Med Child Neurol 1984 Oct;26(5):644-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8749.1984.tb04503.x. PMID: 6510563

Diagnosis

Ovadia SA, Gonzalez D, Thaller SR
J Craniofac Surg 2018 Oct;29(7):e682-e684. doi: 10.1097/SCS.0000000000004894. PMID: 30157140
McKee AC, Stern RA, Nowinski CJ, Stein TD, Alvarez VE, Daneshvar DH, Lee HS, Wojtowicz SM, Hall G, Baugh CM, Riley DO, Kubilus CA, Cormier KA, Jacobs MA, Martin BR, Abraham CR, Ikezu T, Reichard RR, Wolozin BL, Budson AE, Goldstein LE, Kowall NW, Cantu RC
Brain 2013 Jan;136(Pt 1):43-64. Epub 2012 Dec 2 doi: 10.1093/brain/aws307. PMID: 23208308Free PMC Article
Zeidán-Chuliá F, Gursoy UK, Könönen E, Gottfried C
Acta Odontol Scand 2011 Jul;69(4):193-200. Epub 2011 Jan 13 doi: 10.3109/00016357.2010.549505. PMID: 21231817
Favazza AR
J Nerv Ment Dis 1998 May;186(5):259-68. doi: 10.1097/00005053-199805000-00001. PMID: 9612442
Leung AK, Robson WL
J Singapore Paediatr Soc 1990;32(1-2):14-7. PMID: 2259190

Therapy

Zeidán-Chuliá F, Gursoy UK, Könönen E, Gottfried C
Acta Odontol Scand 2011 Jul;69(4):193-200. Epub 2011 Jan 13 doi: 10.3109/00016357.2010.549505. PMID: 21231817
Wills L, Garcia J
CNS Drugs 2002;16(12):803-10. doi: 10.2165/00023210-200216120-00002. PMID: 12421114
Mendez MF, Mirea A
Mov Disord 1998 Sep;13(5):825-8. doi: 10.1002/mds.870130512. PMID: 9756153
Favazza AR
J Nerv Ment Dis 1998 May;186(5):259-68. doi: 10.1097/00005053-199805000-00001. PMID: 9612442
Vinson RP, Gelinas-Sorell DF
Am Fam Physician 1991 May;43(5):1625-8. PMID: 2021098

Prognosis

Del Bigio MR, Krawitz S, Sinha N
J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2023 Oct 20;82(11):948-957. doi: 10.1093/jnen/nlad079. PMID: 37846159Free PMC Article
Gwyther ARM, Walters AS, Hill CM
Sleep Med Rev 2017 Oct;35:62-75. Epub 2016 Aug 26 doi: 10.1016/j.smrv.2016.08.003. PMID: 27884450
McKee AC, Stern RA, Nowinski CJ, Stein TD, Alvarez VE, Daneshvar DH, Lee HS, Wojtowicz SM, Hall G, Baugh CM, Riley DO, Kubilus CA, Cormier KA, Jacobs MA, Martin BR, Abraham CR, Ikezu T, Reichard RR, Wolozin BL, Budson AE, Goldstein LE, Kowall NW, Cantu RC
Brain 2013 Jan;136(Pt 1):43-64. Epub 2012 Dec 2 doi: 10.1093/brain/aws307. PMID: 23208308Free PMC Article
Walters AS
Chest 2007 Apr;131(4):1260-6. doi: 10.1378/chest.06-1602. PMID: 17426241
Abe K, Oda N, Amatomi M
Dev Med Child Neurol 1984 Oct;26(5):644-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8749.1984.tb04503.x. PMID: 6510563

Clinical prediction guides

Malhi P, Sankhyan N
Indian J Pediatr 2021 Feb;88(2):158-160. Epub 2020 Jun 26 doi: 10.1007/s12098-020-03276-1. PMID: 32592001
Ovadia SA, Gonzalez D, Thaller SR
J Craniofac Surg 2018 Oct;29(7):e682-e684. doi: 10.1097/SCS.0000000000004894. PMID: 30157140
McKee AC, Stern RA, Nowinski CJ, Stein TD, Alvarez VE, Daneshvar DH, Lee HS, Wojtowicz SM, Hall G, Baugh CM, Riley DO, Kubilus CA, Cormier KA, Jacobs MA, Martin BR, Abraham CR, Ikezu T, Reichard RR, Wolozin BL, Budson AE, Goldstein LE, Kowall NW, Cantu RC
Brain 2013 Jan;136(Pt 1):43-64. Epub 2012 Dec 2 doi: 10.1093/brain/aws307. PMID: 23208308Free PMC Article
Patton D, McIntosh A
BMJ 2008 Dec 17;337:a2825. doi: 10.1136/bmj.a2825. PMID: 19091761Free PMC Article
Abe K, Oda N, Amatomi M
Dev Med Child Neurol 1984 Oct;26(5):644-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8749.1984.tb04503.x. PMID: 6510563

Recent systematic reviews

Sparks P, Lawrence T, Hinze S
Clin J Sport Med 2020 Mar;30 Suppl 1:S1-S10. doi: 10.1097/JSM.0000000000000541. PMID: 32132472
Furniss F, Biswas AB
J Intellect Disabil Res 2012 May;56(5):453-75. Epub 2012 Feb 28 doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2788.2012.01534.x. PMID: 22369696

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