Does your child bite? Even though this behavior may alarm
you at first, biting is a common issue in early childhood. Take a look at what
parents need to know about biting, behavior, child development, and the daycare
environment.
Why Would a Young Child Bite?
You won't find one universal or standard answer to this
question. But there are some common threads between the ages and developmental
stages. Again, biting is common in the early years. According to the
American Psychological Association (APA), nearly one-third to one-half of
toddlers are bitten by a classmate in daycare. This means your older infant,
toddler, or young preschooler who recently turned three may bite.
While your child may bite for other reasons, it's likely you
see this often-typical behavior because:
- Your
child feels overwhelmed.
Bright lights, lots of noise, a crowded room,
and other overstimulating experiences can result in toddler biting
behaviors. Young children may not have the cognitive or emotional skills
to handle their feelings. They may act out and possibly bite in response.
- Your
child doesn't have the right words. By 24 months of age, many toddlers
have a spoken vocabulary of at least 50 words and can use simple phrases,
according to the Mayo Clinic. But if your child doesn't have the words to
express their emotions, they might bite.
- Your
child doesn't have fully developed social skills. Your toddler may not
have the social or emotional skills necessary to share, take turns, or
engage in other group behaviors. As these skills emerge, your toddler may
bite to resolve conflicts or express frustration with another child.
- Your
child wants to explore. Some biting behaviors don't come from
frustration or negative emotions. Toddlers may bite to explore other
objects (and people) through their senses or simply to better understand
cause and effect.
Along with these reasons, some children may bite to get
attention or act in self-defense. If you're not sure why your child bites, talk
to their daycare teacher. The early education professional can help you to
learn more about when your child bites (during the school day) and what they
feel is the cause behind the behavior.
Can You Change This Behavior?
Will your child always bite as a way to express or defend
themselves? Chances are the answer to this question is no. Many toddlers simply
outgrow this behavior. As children develop new communication, social,
emotional, and cognitive skills, they will learn new, acceptable ways to
express frustration and powerful emotions.
Even though your child may still need time to build more
complex emotional or social skills, you can take steps to stop (or at least
decrease) this behavior right now. To help your biter gain control:
- Talk
to the teacher. Your child's daycare teacher may have expert insights
and tips to stop biting behaviors. Open a line of communication and talk
to the teacher daily or as needed. Constant communication can help if your
child mostly bites at school or it's a common classroom problem.
- Stay
calm. While it's tempting to lose your cool when you see your toddler
bite, this may reinforce their lack of emotional control. Act as a role
model for your child and handle the situation with a calm, firm response.
- Give
your child new words. If your child doesn't have the right emotion
words to express powerful feelings, help them to build a new vocabulary.
What should you do if these strategies don't work? Don't
give up. It's possible your child needs more time to outgrow this behavior or
develop new skills; some developmental changes are gradual. Your toddler may
not stop biting overnight. But with help from the adults in their life they can
change this behavior.
Is your child ready to start daycare? Contact Riviera Daycare & Preschool
for
more information.
