Ways to Stop Your Child From Biting

By Amber Ortega on March 5th, 2009

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It is almost inevitable that every child will go through a phase when they bite. Some children have more of a problem with it than others.  If your child has a problem with biting, it can be frustrating and embarrassing when you have to apologize to another parent for the actions of your toddler.  Most parents are not very nice when their child has been bitten, regardless of the actions that led up to the incident.  In order to save yourself from having to have this type of discussion with another parent, try to find a resolution as quickly as possible.  The sooner a solution is found, the fewer victims will be bitten.

First you want to find out why your child is biting.  A lot of children around 18 months old begin to bite out of frustration from not being able to express themselves verbally.  If they want a toy that another is playing with, because they can’t ask for it, they will bite to get their point across.  Another reason a child may be biting is because he/she is in pain from teeth coming in.  If this is the case you may be able to simply apply some medication, give some Tylenol or teething tablets to help alleviate the pain and stop the biting.

If you have find that your child is biting out of frustration or anger, there are several things you can do to help them learn not to bite.  The first thing you must do is get down to their level and looking them straight in the eye, firmly tell them “No, that is not nice, we do not bite”.  Children as young as nine months are able to understand when you tell them not to do something in this manner.  You can also try to redirect your child before he is able to bite.  If you notice him beginning to get upset, redirect them to play with something else before they reach over and bite a playmate.  Although you may believe that your child is too young for a time out, even sitting them down for 30 seconds can have a huge impact.  Having him sit down will help him to calm down.

Regardless of what method you try to stop the biting, it is very important for you to insist your child say they are sorry for biting.  Although many biters are too young to talk, you can make them give a friendly pat or hug to show they are sorry for hurting their friend.

(Photo By: Greefus Groinks)