Biting is a very common situation in early childhood. But, a child biting another child is considering a form of aggression. That is the reason why it is important to know how to respond to bites and how to deal with this situation at an early stage.
Why do children bite?
The first stages for children are a real discovery.
In the early years, children develop their psychomotor skills through touch, sight, smell, hearing, and taste.
Biting is sometimes, part of a child’s development. Because they do not have a developed language, they use biting as a form of expression.
Why do children bite? Well, there are several reasons. One of them is teething and itchy gums. Another is the desire to explore a toy with their mouth.
As they begin to understand the relationship between cause and effect, they may also bite someone else to see their reaction. So, for children, biting is also a way to get attention. Or even to express how they feel.
When children do not have a command of language that allows them to deal with frustration, they react in many ways. One of them is biting.
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It is important for parents not to focus on the biting. Rather, they should identify why their child feels the need to bite. It may be due to a feeling of frustration. It could also reflect helplessness or a need for affection.
If these reasons are properly addressed, the need to bite will disappear. One piece of advice we give parents is not to threaten or punish the child.
Why? These actions do not address the real cause of the problem. They will only provoke the child to bite even more.
How to Respond to Bites
If you observe a child trying to bite another child, follow these tips. Immediately say “no” in a calm but firm tone. Always show disapproval, but do not insult or punish them.
If the child is a toddler between 1 and 2 years old, keep him away from other children. This way he will notice that you don’t like his attitude and that he has done something wrong. Meanwhile, if the child is between 2 and 3 years old, you can use phrases such as “biting can hurt people a lot”.
Don’t ever bite the child to show him how it feels to be bitten. This will provoke the child to adopt aggressive behavior as well.
The best way to improve children’s behavior is to explain to them that biting their peers is wrong. We have to explain to them as well that the other kids that he/she is biting are going to feel sad and hurt if he/she still keeps biting them. Teaching them to be empathic with their peers is the best option for this kind of situation.
If you need more information related to How to respond to bites, there is an entire post from The Cleveland Clinic that could be helpful for you.
Cleveland Clinic – What should you do if you’ve been bitten – or if someone you’re with is bitten?
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