is it normal-

For a 2 year old to start hitting himself if I tell him he's being bad? It's really concerning.

no its not normal...

My nephew did this. His pedi's said it a phase, when they can't quiet verbalize what they are feeling yet, they do that.

I think like Vivian said, has to do with inability to verbalize. Also, I've noticed one boy I know who is spanked (age 2) that he hits when he thinks people are breaking rules, even if they're his rules ("don't touch that!" another child touches it... he hits, etc).

<blockquote><b>Quoting anonymom + 1.5:</b>" I think like Vivian said, has to do with inability to verbalize. Also, I've noticed one boy I know who ... [snip!] ... he thinks people are breaking rules, even if they're his rules ("don't touch that!" another child touches it... he hits, etc)."</blockquote>


Does it mean he's behind in speech? I mean I'll be talking to his pedi this week about it... I'm just worried. I don't want him to end up hurting himself.

Quoting DeidreLC:" <blockquote><b>Quoting anonymom + 1.5:</b>" I think like Vivian said, has to do with ... [snip!] ... speech? I mean I'll be talking to his pedi this week about it... I'm just worried. I don't want him to end up hurting himself."

No, it might not be that. Between 2-3 their speech quadruples, then more after that. He's probably still figuring it out.
DD when she couldn't do something, like put her shirt on herself the first try, she would sit and start crying. I had to calm her down and ask her what was wrong and show her how to fix her problem. She didn't speak to me that that is what was wrong, I just knew from watching her, I had to help her verbalize it.