The experts take on Biting:  
 

“Aggressive biting and hitting is most common between the ages of eighteen months and two and a half years, when the child doesn’t have the verbal language to communicate needs; instead he communicates through actions.  Biting usually stops as the child’s verbal skills grow” (The Discipline Book, 1995, Sears & Sears).

“Biting is an upsetting behavior that can result from feelings of frustration, overstimulation, anger, hunger, and pain related to teething.  Often, children use biting as a way to get their needs met because they do not have more appropriate methods of communicating what they want and because biting gets a strong response from others.  Whatever the reason for biting this behavior evokes a strong emotions from all those involved, including the child who bites, the victim, the parents of both children, and the provider” (So This is Normal Too?, Hewitt, 1995, p.132).

T. Berry Brazelton, a leading child development expert, believes that biting in anger most often represents a “loss of control,” scary for the child being bitten, but even scarier for the child doing the biting (Touchpoints, 1992, p. 174).

In the stages of development, toddlers learn much about self-awareness when undergoing the natural progression of emotional and social development.  This occurs somewhere between the ages of 18 months and increases steadily into early childhood.  It is at this time that children are learning such things as empathy, compliance and self-control (Infants and Children Fifth Edition, Berk, 2005).  Prior to this time young children, especially pre-verbal children, have difficulty regulating emotions, and act out in ways that meet their needs at the time, the reason that toddlers throw temper tantrums, cry, scream, refuse to eat etc.

Here are some strategies you can use at home to help curb the biting:
 

(Just Good Parenting) 

Label your feelings, and the feelings of your child.  Young children need to be given the words to express themselves.  By labeling feelings (mad, sad, disappointed, frustrated, tired etc), you are legitimizing your child’s feelings and giving him or her the label to use when language skills develop.

(Prevention)

Recognize circumstances that may evoke biting behavior such as roughhousing, conflict, a tired child, teething etc.  Be mindful that an incident may occur during these times.  In a caregiving situation, shadow the child, remain as close as you can to the child throughout the day to help thwart conflict.  Certainly preventing a situation is extremely difficult, and oftentimes the situations are unavoidable, however, having strategies in place prior to the biting will help in the event that the need arises.

(When the child has bitten you or another adult)

React strongly.  Shriek loudly, set the child down and quickly retreat.  Allow some time for separation.  When you reconnect (in a couple of minutes), tell the child in very simplistic terms that biting hurts (Ouch, No No Bite! Mommy has a boo boo).  Show your child the injury, and using the child’s hand show him or her how to comfort you by ‘petting’ the boo boo, or holding ice on it.  Give your child the words to use expressing sympathy “sorry Mommy” and then hug your child.

(When the child has bitten another child)

Immediately comfort the bitten child.  Sternly tell the biter in simplistic terms that biting hurts (Ouch, No No Bite! Child has a boo boo.)  Move the bitten child to a sink and gently wash the bitten area with an antibacterial soap.  (If the skin is broken, you may need to seek medical care).  Take a moment to ignore the biter, sometimes biting is an attention getting behavior and you certainly do not want to encourage that. 

Apply ice to the bitten child.  Return to the ‘biter.’ Allow some time for separation (a brief time out).  Then bring the biter back to the bitten child and teach comforting skills.  Again, show him or her the injury.  Label the injury and the feelings surrounding the injury (Boo Boo, Hurt, Owie).  Remind the child gently (no, no biting, biting hurts).  Show the child how to love the bitten child, give a hug or pet the injury.  Teach sorrowful words like “I’m sorry,” though do not force them.  There is nothing worse than an unsympathetic child screaming, “I’M SORRY!”

Remain consistent!  Remind your child prior to circumstances (that biting might arise) what your expectations are for his or her behavior.  Label feelings on a regular basis, and finally, remember that biting is a normal part of toddler development and... it too will pass…