Has Your Toddler Been Biting?

Understanding why toddlers tend to bite can help you deal with their biting effectively and
teach them how to stop biting. If left unchecked, this may develop into a child behavior
problem. One thing to understand, for instance, is that biting is a normal activity that children
will go through as part of normal development. Knowing that your child’s biting isn’t
uncommon, however, won’t ease the pain of the bite. Experts agree that blame should not
be placed on the child, parent, or teachers when it does happen.

You know babies use their mouths to explore because they’re not co-ordinated enough to do
much else. If they bite, it’s quite likely that the act is merely a way to explore or because they
are overly stimulated. Infants may also bite because they are teething and need the pressure
of something along their gums to help ease the pain they’re feeling. Regardless of the
reason, infants are not aware of any pain they may be causing if they do bite you.

Toddlers, those between 12 and 36 months, will continue to use their mouth as a way to
communicate, not just with speech. Since they may not be not able to use language to let
you know what they want, some toddlers bite. They use it as a way to get what they want
and control their environment. Despite this propensity to cause pain, it is quite possible that
toddlers don’t understand the pain they inflict. Still, you want to begin to teach them that
biting is not appropriate and that it hurts.

What do you do when your toddler bites?

● Respond immediately when your toddler bites by telling them “Ouch, that hurt
mama.” This tactic will work beginning as early as four months old.

● Don’t bite back. Even though you may feel like biting them would be the only option,
it will convey to them that biting (or any violence) is acceptable.

● Explain to them, if they are able to talk, that it is better to use words than biting to get
your attention or to get what they want. Even if their speech is limited, you can help
them learn to say one word such as “stop” or “mine.”

● When your toddlers are older, two or more, you can have them help with first aide for
those they’ve bitten. This will teach them to learn how to be nurturing instead of
hurtful.

● Look for environmental factors that may lead to your toddler biting. Are they fearful,
over-stimulated, or over-tired? If you can recognize the triggers for why your toddler
bites, you can work toward eliminating those triggers.

Source: ​https://www.thewomensmag.com/