Biting toddlers: What to do if your child keeps biting you — or other children
If you have a little biter who loves to toddle over to other children at the park and cause a commotion, then take some solace in knowing that one in ten toddlers are biters.
What’s the best way to deal with this anti-social behaviour? Try these tips …
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1. Understand WHY toddlers bite
The reasons why toddlers bite are varied. They include
- Experimentation – some toddlers bite because they are experimenting what their little chompers can do.
- Anger and frustration – they can’t articulate how they feel and so resort to biting. For example, when struggling to share or take turns with playmates.
- Feeling powerless – often the youngest child in the family is the biter because he can’t communicate his wants and needs like his older siblings can. In a group setting, this type of biter bites to get attention in the hope it will get him what he wants.
- Emotional stress – biting is a coping mechanism for some toddlers who are unable to articulate that they’re feeling upset.
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