| During toddler years, almost all children bite at one time | | | | wants, or when she is stressed out. Once your child |
| or another. Studies show that about half of the | | | | develops language skills that allow her to express her |
| toddlers in daycare are bitten on average 3 times a | | | | feelings, this stage of biting will pass very quickly. |
| year! Now that's something you can sink your teeth | | | | Aggressive children tend to bite more. Also, boys tend |
| into. | | | | to bite more than girls. You can prevent biting when |
| First thing's first: there are 3 stages of biting. The first | | | | you learn what triggers this behavior in your child. |
| stage occurs when your child's teeth begin to erupt. | | | | How to decrease biting in toddlers: |
| Your child is likely to experiment by biting on a rattle or | | | | - Supervise your child closely |
| a teething ring. Breastfed infants who bite the breast | | | | - Acknowledge positive behaviors |
| will quickly learn not to, mostly because the mother will | | | | - Offer an object to bite on (i.e. teething ring, or a |
| remove the child from the breast. Also, an infant | | | | washcloth) |
| senses the negative emotional response and | | | | - Respond to biting right away with a firm voice, and |
| eventually stops biting to avoid upsetting the mother. | | | | place your toddler in time-out |
| The second stage of biting occurs around your child's | | | | When your child bites another person, you must act |
| first birthday. At that time, infants bite to express their | | | | immediately. Get down to your child's level, look her in |
| excitement. If biting is consistently met with a firm | | | | the eye, and say, "No!" Offer a simple explanation, |
| response from the parent, the behavior should stop | | | | such as, "We don't bite people." Children 2 years of |
| fairly quickly. | | | | age and older can be put a in time-out, one minute per |
| The third stage of biting may take place in the second | | | | year of life. Remember that time-out serves as |
| year of life. During that time, your child learns new skills | | | | punishment for undesirable behaviors, such as biting, |
| and has a very strong desire to be independent. If her | | | | thus offer no interaction with your child during the time |
| attempts to gain autonomy are unsuccessful, she | | | | your child 'serves the sentence.' |
| might become frustrated and bite to express her | | | | Consistency in your response to your child's biting will |
| anger. Since your child's language skills do not let her | | | | help you extinguish this behavior quickly and help your |
| express herself adequately at this stage, she might | | | | child learn that biting is not an acceptable way of |
| bite for attention, when she does not get what she | | | | expressing feelings. |