Toddler Biting - Ashland,OR

Here's the scoop on endless biting. He's old enough to understand. Tell him hereafter when he bites you will put soap in his mouth. Get a cake of soap that is not toxic at the health food store. Next time he bites after a warning open his mouth and get the soap in. It's harmless and he will scream and cry.
It should not take long until he breaks his habit.
A small amount well placed behind his teeth front should help him to remember not to bite.

Undiagnosed ear infection?

Our son, now 21, was a biter. I felt HORRIBLE!! I'd pick him up from daycare and they had the little sheets of paper that said 'your child bit ____ times today' and 'your child was bitten ____times today'. They added a line for my son, "you child attempted to bite _____ times today."
But he was a chronic ear infection kid. And even though it didn't look like he had an infection or was holding fluid he was. What I found out later was that he was not hearing well during this time, therefore was not learning the words when he felt frustrated so he bit.
If it makes you feel any better, our son is now a big teddy bear. He's built like an NFL linebacker so he looks tough, but he would never do anything mean to anyone!

Ex K-1 teacher here. I have had some biters in my class.

Here is my opinion of biting children. Biting is a big cultural no no. You should immediately remove your child from social contact, firmly say "no biting!", shut the door for say six minutes (time it so you know), then open the door and greet him with firm love but not excessive hugs and kisses.

Do this every time until he understands that when he bites he is removed from what he loves most--his family, society, and community. If he is at play group he needs to be taken outside or put in a car.

Do this without being angry (hard!) or upset. You are just the overseer when this happens (not the one he loves the most) the moment when he bites. Doing this without being angry or afraid of your emotions is the key to making it work.

But you must do it if you want to make him an acceptable member of his play group/school group. I can not say it more simply or more importantly.

Whatever you choose to do you must be successful at it. And you are just at the beginning of many power struggles.

Hi K.,

I also had a biter..it was so frustrating! Some great advice that I received (here) is to try to redirect his biting. I bought one of those toddler toys that looks like a star and when they bite it, it vibrates (so it is a teething toy). Every time he bit he would have to sit in time-out and we would tell him "we don't bite. Biting hurts. If you're going to bite, bite this (gave him the toy)." We were very consistent with it and it worked! In not very much time, he stopped biting altogether. Just know that you are not alone - it happens :)

He could be biting out of frustration of not being able to talk or tell the other children or you something. My youngest did this around two and ended up getting speach therapy through the school district.

How long ago did you bite back? That could've reinforced it. It stops it but not many times or not for long. With separation and timeouts, how long did that go on and how long was he in time out? Did you follow through every time? That's what I did when my daughter. I told her (right after she did it) that teeth are not for biting and told her your going to time out because you bit "name". After a week and a half the biting subsided.

You could buy Teeth are not for biting by Elizabeth Verdick. If he likes to be read to he may respond really well to it. I would praise him after play dates when he doesn't bite (thank you for not biting when you were playing with "name"). I wouldn't urge kisses instead because maybe that makes him feel awkward so he bites instead (choosing one or the other). Good luck :)

It is fun! He bites, the bitee squeals and make a great noise - it is fun!

That being said, my son went through this about a thousand years ago (okay, only 14, but it *seems* like 1,000). I would tap him gently on the nose and firmly say "No bite". Consistently and every time his little mouth would open and he would lunge for me with those lovely new teeth. Sometimes I could tap him before he bit. He got the message and the biting stopped.

My cousin had a toddler that bit - I mean like a 2 1/2 year old - no one knew what to do about it - regular methods didn't work - the kid was a biter, family shrug. I was about 17 and visiting them enjoying a large Italian family dinner, when the little rascal toddled up to me, leaned in and bit the crud out of my arm leaving a perfect imprint of his very healthy teeth. I calmly leaned over and bit him back. I have never seen such a look of surprise on such a little face. Um, I was told that he never bit anyone again. And I must say, he remembered me when I went back to visit a few years later. LOL Yes, I was younger and had zero experience with children. Which is why I never bit my own child back.

So, try tapping his nose, firm "No" and if all else fails, bite him :)
Basically, it is a new thing for him, it is fun, and like everything else, you need to be patient and teach him not to do it.

Good Luck
God Bless

Don't give him opportunity-when a long time has passed that he hasn't been able to bite anyone-it will be forgotten and he will no longer do it.