Different Ways to Handle Biting Kids

Reduce Triggers

• Toddlers can bite without warning, but they're often more likely to chomp on a playmate under certain circumstances. A child who is tired, hungry or overwhelmed might react by biting. Regular meals, snacks and naps help meet your child's basic needs so he is better able to handle social situations without biting. Too much stimulation can overwhelm a child and lead to undesirable behaviors, including biting. Limit background noise, lights and crowds if your child tends to get overstimulated and reacts negatively. If you notice that your child only bites in certain situations, like when he's sharing certain toys, reduce his exposure to those situations.

Teach Expression

• Aggressive behaviors, such as hitting and biting, sometimes occur when a child cannot express himself. Your toddler may not know how to tell his playmate that he wants the same toy, so he bites to express his displeasure. A toddler with limited verbal skills struggles to tell others how he is feeling, but you can start working with him even when he's just beginning to talk. Point out emotions you notice in your tot and in others. You can also help him express what he's thinking. For example, you might say, "Are you upset that someone else is using the swing? It's tough to wait. Can you ask if you can have a turn?"

Respond Calmly

• Your reaction affects your child's reaction after he bites. Young kids often continue biting if it gets a big reaction from others. Yelling or making a scene might not discourage future biting. A calm but firm response helps in this situation, according to the KidsHealth website. Simply let your child know that biting is not acceptable. Say, "No biting." Tell your child that biting hurts his playmate. Simple sentences that make it clear that biting is not OK help your child learn not to bite.

Redirect

• If you catch your child before he sinks his teeth into a playmate, you have the chance to redirect his attention to prevent the bite. However, often a child's bite happens so quickly that you can't stop it. Once you calm the child who received the bite, you can turn your attention to the biting child. Even though he is the one who caused the situation, the biting child might become upset. Engaging him in another activity helps refocus his attention, calm him down and possibly prevent another biting incident.

Older Children

• Children who are no longer toddlers might continue biting if they feel ignored and are craving attention. They might think that negative attention is better than no attention at all. If your older child is biting, look for reasons why he might feel like you are ignoring him. For example, if you just had a new baby or took a new job that demands a lot of your time, your child might feel left out. If this is the case, make an extra effort to give your biting child the extra attention he craves. When biting becomes a habit or continues past the age of 4 or 5, it might stem from a more serious emotional problem, notes WebMD. If this is the case, seek professional help.