During the development years, toddler biting is common and parents want to learn how to stop the biting – quickly. Toddlers who cannot tell you what they want or how they feel are prone to use more physical types of communication. Screaming, hair pulling, and hitting only bring nominal results. However, the child finds that biting brings someone immediately to his side. Hitting or biting can soon become their weapon of choice. The first bite is usually an accidental by product of play that got out of hand or too close contact with another child. However, it only takes once for a toddler to realize that he has he has a pretty good deal going on and strives to strengthen this new found skill.

The term “toddlers” usually refers to children who are between the ages of one and three. A great deal of development goes on during this time. Confrontational skills are extremely limited at this age. Teeth are the only instant, always available, attention grabber a toddler has to get his point across. The first time the child sinks his teeth into another child or adult, there is an instant reaction. Toddlers act in the moment. Everything that they experience becomes a new awareness for them. This is especially true of something as reactive as biting.

Regardless of the cause of this frustrating new trick, parents and daycare workers just want toddler biting to stop. From the victims point of view, the bite is not only painful but it can leave slight, under the skin scaring. Young children have very delicate sensitive skin. A very hard bite on the face can damage these tender muscles causing a long term imprint. The parent of the biter is also greatly affected. Not only is it frustrating that it is your child doing the damage but neither do you want to see your child ostracized from other children.

So how can you stop your toddler biting?

Research has shown the following  seven tips may be helpful. They are easily adapted for individual situations that may arise where biting could be a problem.

  • Keep your toddler positively engaged in age appropriate activities. This will help prevent childish frustrations and meltdowns.
  • Be aware of where your child is in spacial relationship to other children. Move the child away from direct contact with other children. Most children this age parallel play, which means they play beside each other rather than with each other. Placing a child too close to another one only invites confrontation.
  • Regardless of how careful you are, biting still may occur. If it does, take care of the victim first. This prevents immediate gratification on the part of the biter. It will also downplay any intended attention from the biter.
  • Reprimand calmly so the child does not pick up anxiety from you.
  • Be firm and say “don’t bite” as you set the child an arms length away from you or the victim. This can be done if the victim is the parent or or another child.
  • Expect change to come slowly. Like progress in other areas of development, it takes awhile to establish cause and affect. This skill develops slowly in small child.
  • Above all, praise your child often. He needs to know that your love is not contingent on his behavior.

As you can see toddler biting is a common problem that a lot of parents have to deal with. The tips I have outlined above will go a long way in helping you deal with this problem in a positive way.