Why Do Children bite?
l
Explore – The mouth and tongue are used by babies to learn about the world.
As they “mouth,” lick, or chew, they take in information that goes to the brain.
They want to explore everything around them. Most babies explore by putting
things or people in their mouths.
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Teethe
– Infants’ gums hurt when they are teething. Putting pressure on their gums
helps to stop the pain. Sometimes they bite
a person in trying to stop the pain.
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Cause and Effect – Infants, around one year of age, like to find out what
happens when they do something. By biting someone, they may get a loud
scream.
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Attention
– Older toddlers like to imitate others. If they see others biting, they
may think that it is okay to bite.
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Independence – Toddlers
want their independence from others. Biting is a quick way to get others
to leave you and your stuff alone.
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Frustration – Toddlers may bite because they do not know how to talk well
enough to express their feelings.
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Stress – A child’s world can be stressful. Biting is a way to express feelings
and relieve tension.
l Hungry
or Tired - A toddler may bite because he or she is hungry or tired. Review
their eating and sleeping schedule. Make sure the child is getting enough
sleep and food to eat.
Caregiver’s
Can…
Use
the Who, What, When, Where, and How method to pinpoint the problem
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When did the biting occur?
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Who was involved?
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Where did it happen?
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What happened before or after?
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How was the situation handled?
Try
Prevention
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Give the child a clean
cloth or a clean teething ring to chew on.
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Change the daily routine to make sure the child is getting enough rest and food.
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Make sure that there are more than two of each toy.
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Spend more time with the child when he or she is doing more positive things.
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Make everyday life as supportive and normal as possible, so that children are
not in a stressful environment.
Teach
New Behaviors
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When a child bites, use your face and voice to show the child that biting is
unacceptable.
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Have the biter help to care for the child that was bitten by helping to wash,
bandage, and offer comfort.
l
When a child is out of control, separate the child until he or she calms down
and then talk to the child about his or her behavior.
Final Thought
Parents
may feel uncomfortable when discussing biting. Share information about biting
and let them help develop a plan for controlling the situation. This can help
parents to put things into perspective.
Adapted from the National
Network for Child Care - NNCC. Oesterreich, L. (1995). Guidance and
discipline. In L. Oesterreich, B. Holt, & S. Karas, *Iowa family child
care handbook* [Pm 1542] (pp. 239-242). Ames, IA: Iowa State University
Extension.
Adapted by Mary Eddins,
NHI Senior Child Care Training Coordinator. Reviewed by Louise E.
Davis, Ph.D., Mississippi State University Associate Extension Professor,
Child and Family Development Specialist. Distributed by Louise E.
Davis, Ph.D. Mississippi State University Associate Extension Professor,
Child and Family Development Specialist.
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