In early childhood, biting is very common. These young individuals have variety of reasons why they do teething or playing with a new toy or object with their mouth.
Boys usually bite and this likely happens between the first and second birthday. Biting reduces as language develops.
Below are list of reasons why toddlers might bite:
- The absence of language skills essential for expressing vital needs or strong feelings like anger, frustration, joy, etc.
- Are experimenting to see what will happen
- Are overwhelmed by the sounds, light or activity level
- Need more active playtime
- Are teething
- Are over-tired
- Have a need for oral stimulation
Here are some steps to control your toddler’s biting habit:
Consistency. Emphasize the “No biting” rule at all times.
Plan ahead. Toddlers might be quite and not mind the desire to bite if they know what to anticipate in high-energy situations. Before you go for childcare, tell your child what to expect so biting might not occur.
Use positive reinforcement. To prevent your child from biting in the first place, make it a point to praise your child when he or she behaves well rather than reward negative actions with attention.
Redirect. Redirect your child’s attention to a positive activity if the energy levels are running high or if boredom occurs.
Refrain from thinking or calling your child as a “biter” in order for you to capably addressing the task, tell the others also to not use this term. Labeling children can indeed leading them taking in the character assigned to them, which can build up biting behavior rather than eliminating it.
Biting is common in babies and toddlers, but should be stopped at the age of 3 or 4. Extreme biting and other aggressive behaviors might mean that you need to have supplementary help. Talk to your pediatrician, if you are worried about your child in finding out the causes and conducts to deal with it.
