biting at daycare

[Visitor7]

For a few weeks now, every time Nina goes to daycare (which is twice a week) she's been bitten on the arm or hand by another girl in the toddler room. I've known about it on all occassions, and the daycare stuff know this is happening as well. Apparently the girl that is biting Nina is also biting the other kids in the toddler room. And does it for no apparent reason.
Tonight, when I took her shirt off to give her a bath, there was a massive bite mark in the middle of her back! And I'm talking massive, about the size of two 50cent pieces. And it's dark red and raised. I saw the group leader this afternoon and the director, and nothing was mentioned. I can understand that sometimes these things can be overlooked, but it's such a massive bite that I'm sure Nina would have screamed when it happened. Plus they changed her shirt today.

What should I do about it? I'll be talking to the director about it tomorrow when I drop Nina off. They told me last week that they've been trying to work with the parents of the little girl for a few months now on this issue, but it's still happening, so 'will be taking the next step'. Now the director didn't tell me 'what the next step is' but I assume it's removing the child from that centre??
I'm hesitating that I should maybe take Nina out until something has been done about it? Any advice?

[Mother Goose]

Hi Jodi,

to you and your DD. What an awful experience! I think talking to the Director about it is definately a good step to be taking. Is it possible that the bite may have happened after they changed DD's top? Not that that is an excuse, one would think they would have investigated why she was crying (and she would have!).
We had a similar thing happening in DD's room although it was pushing and pulling hair - not biting. The child would actually go up to bigger kids in the "family room" and push them over to be able to pull their hair!!! We told the carers that we were concerned for DD's safety and development and if it meant that we had to take her to another centre then we would. We also explained that we did not want to have to move DD as we were otherwise happy not did we want the other child to be removed BUT we did feel that what they were doing was not working and we needed to see positive changes. I don't know what they did in the end but the girl soon stopped the behavior and we didn't have to act further. We were nice about it though, we just put our case forward and stuck to the facts and what we were really prepared to do. No bluffing.

HTH and hope the biting stops soon!

MG

[Pandora]

OMG, I cant believe that nothing was noticed. I have had to sign accident books for marks I cant even see. I'd be putting something in writing to the director and ask for their behaviour management plan to be explained to you.

the best way to get the girl to stop biting is if one of the other kids bites her. Not that you'd encourage them to, but DS used to bite at daycare, at about 18mths, and one day another child bit him, and he stopped doing it.

They probably are working with the childs parents, but it can be very difficult for them (parents) too, they may also be at their wits end with how to manage the behaviour. Especially if they are trying everything they can and not just ignoring the behaviour.

When it comes down to it though, if anyone is going to be removed from the situation I would expect it to be the child causing the issues, not the other kids who are being impacted by them.

[Nadine216]

I'm so glad I found this thread. DD has been "trying" to bite me for some time ... I will just tell her STOP and get her to look at me and say to her "Don't bite, it's not nice"

So I got her home from day-care yesterday and as I placed her in the tub, I noticed a mark on her upperbody, between her breasts. It looked like she tried to climb up on something and slid off, the skin was just grazed. I applied some cream and thought nothing of it. Later the night I was thinking why the ppl did not tell me anything about it. So this morning I asked and they told me that it was a bite mark ???? It did not look like a bit mark. I'm also not sure what to do

I know these things happen, but am I suppose to act in some way? DH is livid, but I feel that it could happen anywhere and dd probably will bite someone at some stage too ... if she is trying to bite me, she might have just bitten the other kid first, for all I know.

Rayray - I LOVE the accident book idea .... I think I need to ask if they could begin something like that for dd's day-care centre

[Visitor7]

nadine - every childcare should have an accident report book that needs to be filled out and signed by the director, witness, and parents. And both parties' parents have a separate form to sign.

I spoke with the director this morning and showed her the bite mark. She is absolutely livid that no-one picked up on it. She agreed that Nina would have been screaming in pain from it, and she believes they should have looked at her until they found the cause. She'll be speaking with the ladies in the toddlers room (they weren't in at the time) and will be getting back to me this afternoon about what they're going to do about it. She's been away on her honeymoon and only got back today, so she'll also speak with the 2IC.

[Chocaholic]

Nadine, as Jodie said, every childcare MUST have an accident report book. It is a legal requirement!

[Nadine216]

Courtney - I'm not in Australia, so I have no idea if it's a legal requirement here .... but it should be.

[blizz]

Nadine, as Jodie said, every childcare MUST have an accident report book. It is a legal requirement!

It is a part of licensing requirements in Australia and records need to be kept until the child mentioned in them turns 21.
I have worked in daycare for 13 years and have been apart of this accident reporting process same thing here if in doubt we record it whether there is a mark or not.
My now 2 year old went through a biting phase at daycare (mainly when her teeth were coming through) and from a parents point of view it is as devestating to have a child who bites as to have a child who is bitten because often no matter what you try you still can't break them from it, you need to tag and intercept this behaviour, and I am not making excuses but this is often hard to do with total effectiveness in a daycare centre.
There is still no excuse for not checking a child thoroughly for marks when they are obviously very upset, but believe it or not I have also witnessed children give little response to incidents that you would think would have them howling in pain.
I hope you are able to sort things out for your little girl