Toddler biting still

I'm getting to my wits end with ds' biting. He really only does it at cc and then it's nasty - draws blood, leaves big welts.

He doesn't seem to do it for any particular reason - will randomly go up to other kids and bite them. Today it was 3 times (at least 2 different children) and one parent has insisted on photos being shown to me (again! - as though I don't know that he does it and that when he does it's bad :wall: )

DH & I have spoken to the director about it and tried to sort it out and stop/discourage the behaviour- including making sure ds was in smaller groups for activities, sitting at the end of the table for lunch/morning&afternoon tea, having a carer near him in group time, encouraging him to use his words. DS refuses a dummy and/or teether 99% of the time so that's not an option.

We've tried teething gel and have had a tiny bit if success but not a lot with this.

It was suggested that we see a dentist to see if there was anything wrong there but since I have trouble getting ds opening his mouth for me to check if his last 2*2yr old molars are trying to come through I can't see the dentist being able to check them out easily.

It's causing me more stress on top of a whole bunch of other things I'm attempting to juggle at the moment as well and I'm starting to become a really grumpy mummy; doesn't help that DH isn't seeing the problem as being a big deal but he's not the one getting told every time he picks up ds from cc that ds has been biting. D
(ds goes 3 days a week and DH might pick him up once if I'm lucky. Came home tonight and told him that he's picking up ds from now on as I can't cope with it)

Has anyone got any more helpful suggestions for curbing the biting? The carer speaking to me this afternoon suggested biting ds back once he bites one if us but everywhere I read says not to do this ad it says biting is okay and ds rarely bites one of us. She also said to google for more ideas - nothing new came up when I tried.




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I'd perhaps try seeing a pediatric OT with experience with sensory and communication issues. Might help to give you a more comprehensive assessment of the triggers and give you strategies to meet whatever need (whether it be sensory, communication or behavioral) that the biting is currently serving.

Good luck Hun, sounds extremely frustrating and upsetting. Oxo

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I'd perhaps try seeing a pediatric OT with experience with sensory and communication issues. Might help to give you a more comprehensive assessment of the triggers and give you strategies to meet whatever need (whether it be sensory, communication or behavioral) that the biting is currently serving.

Good luck Hun, sounds extremely frustrating and upsetting. Oxo

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How do I go about seeing pediatric OT? I'm not entirely sure I know what an OT is - occupational therapist? I don't see a mchn regularly (never have :redface: ) and DS' GP has recently left the family practice we go to with DS and I haven't gotten a new regular one (the one I saw after the original one I wasn't too keen on)


For now I think we'll be continuing with the teething gel at cc and see if that makes a difference - I just have to remember to write it up in the medicine register (and get some more)

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:hug: what an awful position to be in :hug:

From the little I know about biting at this age it can often be about gaining attention. Do you know how the carers address the situation when it happens? Perhaps changing the way they deal with it could be the key to resolving it... Especially if he doesn't do it home.

At our centre, if a child hits/bites/whatever another child, the carers shower the victim with attention and pretty much ignore the other child for a couple of minutes. Then they explain to that child that biting hurts ya de dah. Once the child is off doing something positive they make a point of praising and reinforcing the positive behaviour.

Personally, I think your decision not to bite him back is a good one. I'd actually be a bit concerned that one of the carers even suggested that in the first place TBH.

HTH

:hug: I had a biter. It's 'orrid. What worked for us was that every morning we'd draw a train on the whiteboard. If he bit anyone, the carers would rub it off and that meant no playing with trains that evening at home.

How is his speech? A lot of it with Pip was his inability to communicate, and his frustration. Using some cards like "stop" does help. :hug: I know how you feel, I spent so many hours crying about his biting. Biting back achieves nothing.

He's getting better at talking at cc- talks fine around us at home but had been a bit quieter lately out and about.

He has been chewing on his fingers lately too which suggests that his molars are coming through - he's been a quiet/easy teether usually.

I suspect that lately all he seems to be hearing is no or stop - lots of negative attention seeking & getting (throwing/hitting the tv is another example - just started that in the last week). I figure we need to be more positive with ds as well at home and I should check at cc they're reinforcing the positive behaviour and not making a big deal of the naughty behaviour. Might try a sticker reward too if ds doesn't bite at cc - seem to be liking stickers atm


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wish i had some suggestions for you, sounds very frustrating for you. Best of luck sorting it out, i can understand why you'd dread collecting him from CC. There must be a reason it's happening, so hard to get inside the mind of a toddler. I'm surprised the carer suggested you bite him back too.