Why Children Bite

Although many parents worry biting is a symptom that something is wrong with their child, biting is very common behavior in young children. There are a variety of reasons why children bite. Biting is usually more common between the ages of 14 and 24 months, although teething babies bite as well. Most children tend to outgrow biting habits as they mature.

  1. Exploration

    • Babies, toddlers and young children often learn and explore by putting things in their mouths so they can taste and feel the object. This process, commonly referred to as mouthing, is normal behavior and eventually ends when children learn to visually identify an object, according to the Association for Science in Autism Treatment website. Children often do not understand the difference between tasting or gnawing and actual biting. They also may not understand that biting hurts. Children sometimes even enjoy the feeling of biting down on something.

    Teething

    • Infants usually begin teething between 4 and 7 months of age, according to the Iowa State University website. Swelling gums caused by the growth of new teeth can be uncomfortable for the infant. To alleviate this discomfort, infants often chew or bite on things. Infants at this age are sometimes too young to understand they are biting a person instead of an object. They are also unaware their newly formed teeth cause pain when they bite down with them.

    Attention

    • Toddlers and older children sometimes bite to get attention. If a child feels you are not focusing on him or interacting with him enough, he may find a way to make you notice. This can involve biting or misbehaving in some way. Even if the attention and the reaction is negative, the child still feels he has succeeded in getting your undivided attention.

    Imitation

    • Children often learn by observing others and imitating what they do. If a child sees another child biting to get attention, he may copy that action to see how people react to him doing it. A child may also think biting is an acceptable behavior simply because he sees other children doing it. He may not know that biting other people is unwanted behavior until he tries it out himself and gets a negative reaction.

    Coping

    • Young children lack the vocabulary and verbal skills needed to express their feelings.

      This inability to communicate may leave the child feeling frustrated and stressed. This frustration is one of the most common reasons why children bite, according to the Penn State University website. Biting may help a child express his feelings and get his point across. Young children and toddlers experience many changes in the first few years of their life, such as potty training and switching from a crib to a bed. Biting often occurs when children are experiencing these changes because it is a difficult and stressful time for them.

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