Controlling Biting In Children

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Causes Of Biting

There are four different causes of biting.

* experimental biting
* biting from frustration
* biting because of feeling powerless
* biting under stress

Experimental Biting

* Infants explore the world in many ways and biting is one such way of exploration.
* It is one of the ways by which infants ‘feel’ the world around them. That is why they tend to put everything in their mouth.
* Infants may even bite to show their affection. Many will even bite the breast they are feeding.
* Children, especially when young will even bite as a form of game.

How Parents Can Deal

* Don’t make the child think that it is funny.
* Convey to the child that biting hurts.
* Remove whatever or whomever the child is biting.
* When toddlers first develop teeth, give them things like teething rings to bite on, as their gums feel sore.

Biting From Frustration

* When a child gets into situations that he or she cannot handle then they bite. This mostly happens when they are in a group.
* When frustrated the main response of a child is to bite because they don’t know other ways to cope.
* If their biting receives a response, then they feel that it has been successful and so they may do it again.
* Sometimes they may bite to counter those who are bigger and stronger.


How Parents Can Deal

* Remove the child from those situations in which he or she cannot cope. Keep the group small and the play short.
* Step in when there are any signs of conflict.
* If the child is more likely to bite then keep him or her under close adult supervision.
* Take time to understand your child. Always remember that children have a tough time to control their feelings.


Biting Due To Powerlessness

* It is mostly seen that it is the youngest child who mostly bites.
* Seeing the older children get what they want the youngest may feel powerless and bite.
* In a group the child can find that biting is the only way to get power.

How Parents Can Deal

* Protect your child’s need so that he or she doesn’t feel the need to bite.
* Make the older children understand the needs and feelings of the younger one.
* If the children are very young then they should be under constant adult supervision.
* If possible then make the younger children play separately than the older ones.


Biting Under Stress

* Under emotional stress, the child can resort to biting.
* Biting is often an expression of distress and pain. It may also be done to convey that the child is upset or angry.
* Children simply tend to act without understanding their feeling.


How Parents Can Deal

* Find out the reason of the stress.
* If you can find out what is triggering the bite then you can act the next time because sometimes it is not always possible to remove the cause of the bite.
* Show them other ways in which they can vent their feelings.

Additional Tips

* Your response should be prompt, firm, and calm.
* Do not disapprove with anger.
* Build up the child’s self-esteem by showering positive attention every day.