How to Prevent Children From Biting

Behavioral problems in children usually occur in phases, depending on the child's age. Biting can be a particularly troublesome behavioral problem that is sometimes hard to break. Hurting other children cannot be tolerated; the biting problem must be controlled as soon as possible to prevent injuries to others.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Identify aggressive behavior in the child. Aggressive children are likely to bite others when they become frustrated, or when another child invades their space and wants their favorite toy. Circumvent a potential biting incident by providing the child with plenty of activities.

2. Teach the child to express himself verbally without using physical violence to gain attention or get a reaction from his victim. A child who can verbally express what is bothering him is less likely to bite.

3. Firmly tell the child to stop biting. Ignore the perpetrator when you are tending to the victim. Put the biting child in time-out according to his age--four minutes for three-year-olds, five minutes for four-year-olds. If the child in time-out tries to flee, put her right back where she was without saying anything and finish the time-out.

4. Feed the child at regular mealtimes to ensure that hunger is not the reason for biting. Provide children with nutritious snacks between meals.

5. Tell the child that teeth are for chewing food, not for hurting others. Explain to the child that it is okay to be upset, but not to bite. Explain that there will be consequences the next time he bites, such as time-out, no treats and no privileges.

Tips & Warnings

• Provide children with ample toys and games to prevent boredom. Make sure there is enough space for children to move around freely.
• Persistent biters may require the services of a professional counselor.

Resources

• Choosing Your Child's Therapist
• Parenting Difficult Children
• Children & Biting