thread: Is my boy going to be a biter?

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  1. #1
    Registered User

    Jan 2008
    in my head
    1,975

    Oh many hun. I can feel the stress in your words.

    Biting is really difficult because it stirs up so many emotions. I am not an expert at all but from my experience (with DS) and reading I think biting is a stage that all kids (or nearly all of them) go through at one point or another. It's usually just a new sensation for a while and can get an interesting reaction from others. From memory, DS was biting at around the same age too. It didn't last long, from memory, a few months maybe?. We reacted the same way as you - tried to stay calm, tell him it's not ok/hurts etc and then moved on. At that age distraction is good. He also bit me while feeding, and did some horrible damage, but I put that down to teething and me not paying enough attention.

    In the majority of cases it does pass. At his age, I think you handled it really well. Biting can happen for a number of reasons. I think you keep doing what you are - taking note of each time he does it, what the circumstances are etc and you may be able to identify the 'trigger'. Hopefully, by the time you work it out, he's stopped the behaviour but if he hasn't, then you'll be able to work out some strategies or predict which situations are likely to trigger him and be extra observant. From what you've written, it seems like he could see it as play/fun/game type behaviour - to express his delight or enjoyment or he just gets over-excited?? Just thinking aloud now. Try not to stress too much. He's way to young to be "that" kid yet since it's pretty normal at his developmental stage.

  2. #2
    Registered User

    Nov 2010
    Perth, WA
    3,172

    Yep, completely normal - as distressing as it is for us, it's generally just a stage they go through and grow out of as they start to become more physically capable and less frustrated. DD went through a phase of biting, and yes it was pretty embarrassing to have it written on her day sheet from childcare that she'd been channelling "Jaws" and biting the other kids.

    The way you dealt with it was pretty well the same as what we'd do with DD, though I would usually also remove my direct attention from her for a little while (move away, not play with her etc) until she'd settled down a bit - just gave her a chance to calm down and re-focus plus gave the message that biting wasn't acceptable.