Why Toddlers Bite Others And What To Do About It

When their toddler bites another child, parents may panic. They shouldn’t. Biting is common with toddlers, and there are remedies to change the behaviour.

Biting may start at home, when a child spots a toy in the hands of a sister or brother who won’t give it up. Frustrated, the child bites, leaving teeth marks in the sibling’s flesh. The problem may continue at a day care centre where children are vying for toys and attention. They may cluster around a paint easel, for example, and toddlers don’t know how to wait their turn or share yet.

Parents are often shocked when biting happens, but they shouldn’t be. Most toddlers between ages one and three will bite someone, usually another child.

Lacking Words, Toddlers Resort to Bites

Toddlers often bite because it’s a means of communication that is effective for them, when their verbal skills are not yet developed. Because they don’t have words for “Give me back my fire truck,” or, “Pay attention to me right now,” they bite.

And it usually works, with howls of pain and rage from the biter’s target, as well as an immediate response from parents or caregiver. Very young kids need a great deal of attention, and biting is a sure way to get it. Not all kids bite, some may hit, grab or push, for the same reasons. Biting is an aggressive behaviour, just as pushing, hitting or grabbing is, and should be viewed and treated the same way.

Start Early to Prevent Bites

If a baby is teething, teething rings may ease the discomfort. Chewing on a clean, frozen washcloth may also help. Help toddlers learn to use words to express frustration. Episodes may be prevented by learning to recognize situations that may lead to biting. And take your child to the dentist regularly; for a good recommendation, check out the professional dental clinic in West Harwich.

Parents’ First Response to Biting

Biting, like other aggressive behaviors, is instinctive, and controlling that instinct must begin at a very early age from examples set by parents and siblings. If a child is treated with respect as well as love, he will be more likely to show respect to others. The response to a biting child should begin simply and firmly, saying, “We don’t bite,” or “Biting hurts.”

The message should be consistent and repeated. On the other hand, too much or too strong attention may make biting an attention-getter for the child. To emphasize the message while delivering it quietly, it is best to take the child aside, resting comfortably, perhaps in the child’s room or settled into a rocking chair.

Never Bite Back

For some parents, the first reaction is to bite the child back, to show what it feels like. It will likely reinforce the behaviour. Instead, give attention first to the child who was bitten. This shows that biting is not a good way to get attention. A very young toddler doesn’t know yet that other people will be hurt.

Be consistent. If biting happens again, response should be the same each time. And if biting occurs in both the home and the day care centre, the response should be consistent. This requires communication between parents and day care providers.

Medical Treatment for a Child’s Bites

A child’s bite is rarely harmful, and doesn’t require medical treatment. A bite that pierces the skin and bleeds should be washed with soap and water. According to the article “Biting Treatment Overview” on WebMD, medical attention will be needed only if a bite that pierces the skin begins to show signs of infection, or the child is at high risk for problems from an infection.

How to Turn Off the Bites

In spite of parents’ best efforts to prevent biting behavior, incidents can happen. Here are points to remember to reduce anxiety for the child and the parents too!

• Don’t panic. Remember, biting is common in toddlers.
• Find out what situations cause the biting. Look for patterns, then try to catch an incident, before it happens.
• Teething may be a factor in very young toddlers. Provide replacement objects, such as teething rings.
• Respond to incidents firmly, but don’t over react or use physical punishment. Never bite the child back. Instead, use praise for not biting.
• Comfort and reassure the bitten child. Wash the affected area if the skin is broken.
• Be consistent in your reaction to biting incidents.
• Communicate with day care providers and work together to end the behaviour.

Biting another child is a common action for frustrated toddlers, whose parents may be shocked when it happens. Because they lack of communication skills, toddlers often act out their frustrations by biting. Prevention and treatment techniques can go a long way in turning off the bites.