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Other survival
tip areas:
• Breastfeeding
• Sleep
and Settling Strategies
• When your Baby (under 4 months)
cries
• Toddler
Behaviour
• Toddler Nutrition
•
Toilet Training
• Postnatal
Depression
• Wrapping
your Baby
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Biting:
For ease of reading the female gender has been used throughout this article.
The following information provides a brief guide to biting and gives you some suggestions for solving the problem. For further information and support please consult your Early Childhood Nurse, General Practitioner or Karitane Careline on (02) 9794 1852 or 1800 677 961 outside the Sydney metropolitan area.
When a child bites, a parent’s reaction is often one of overwhelming surprise and dismay that their child is capable of such behaviour.
Infants and children may bite for different reasons. Breastfed infants who are teething may rub their gums up and down on the areola. This is probably an attempt to relieve their discomfort.
Older infants who already have teeth may
be bored and be experimenting. Your infant may sense you are distracted
or tense and that the ‘let-down’ reflex has not occurred.
Toddlers (approximately 1-3 years old) may bite as a reaction to stress or feeling helpless. Sometimes it may be in self-defence when a play situation has become less friendly. Other reasons for biting include parent’s expectations that children of this age will play co-operatively, frustration at not being able to get their own way and wanting attention.
What to do about biting:
Infants
- a cooled teething ring may feel good to
suck and chew on
- cool soft foods may encourage your child
to eat
- if your infant is over four (4) months
of age a commercial gel may be applied to soothe the discomfort of sore
gums
Older Infants
- breastfeeding mothers should try to find a solution to the cause of their distraction before you feed again. When biting occurs, remain calm and avoid smacking your infant. Remove your infant from the breast saying ‘No’ firmly as you are doing so. Wait a few moments before offering your infant the breast again.
Toddlers
- supervise children at all times and especially
if you know that they are going through an anxious or stressful time
- warn other parents that your child sometimes
bites
- distract your child before biting begins
- avoid the temptation to bite your child
back – this only teaches your child that it is acceptable behaviour
- remain calm and remove your child from
the situation
- for a few moments keep your child separated
from the situation that caused her to bite. Explain why biting is not
acceptable
- give extra attention to the child who
had been bitten
- if after rejoining the activities your
child bites again remove her from the situation for a longer period
of time, for example 5 minutes and occupy her with something else
- it may take several episodes of biting but your patience and persistence will be rewarded
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Last modified:
Tuesday, 17 June 2003