The causes of biting behavior in children under two years of age vary. It begins with an attempt to explore their environment by putting everything in their mouth, and may develop into a form of communication and expression. Although it is a common behavior among young children, it causes many problems for the child, their mother, and the children they come into contact with.
It may not be easy to communicate with children at this young age, but it is not impossible, and knowing the reasons can help us avoid what triggers this behavior in the child.
Learn the reasons and how to convince your toddler to stop biting, and what to avoid to avoid reinforcing this negative behavior.
Discover the world around you
“Biting is often just a form of sensory exploration for babies,” Judith Jarrard, PhD, a psychologist, told Parents. “ They like to feel things verbally. It's their way of learning about the world.”
teething pain
Teething (the growth of baby teeth) is one of the most common factors that cause a child to bite or search for hard objects and put them in his mouth in an attempt to relieve pain.
defense mechanism
If another child assaults your child or takes something from his possessions, and your little one has not yet learned how to express himself, he may use his only means of communication and defend himself by biting the other child to get his rights back.
Discover the results of their behaviors
Children at this age discover the consequences of their various actions. One of the things they want to discover is what would happen if they bit their friend or classmate in kindergarten, and then record the environment's response to this behavior.
Hunger, drowsiness, and fatigue
A child may use biting to express urgent needs, such as hunger, sleepiness, or extreme fatigue.
Language of communication
Children this age are not able to express their feelings verbally, so they may resort to several methods, including biting.
“Children don’t have the language skills to communicate how they feel, so they use biting to express their feelings, whether positive, like excitement, or negative, like frustration, boredom, anger, etc.,” Aubin Stamer, PhD, a child psychologist, told Parents.
How do you help your little one?
Since it's difficult to communicate with children this age using words, your task now is to use other effective methods to guide your child away from this behavior.
Express your refusal calmly.
Your little one may not understand the meaning of the words right now, but they are registering your feelings and reactions to their actions. Try to teach them that this behavior is hurtful and unacceptable by using a few words in a firm tone and facial expressions, without frightening or threatening them.
You can repeat the same phrase in a firm tone each time, such as saying, "Don't bite... biting hurts."
Use pain relief tools
If your baby uses biting to relieve toothache pain, offer teething toys, or solid or crunchy foods such as crackers, carrot sticks, or apple pieces.
Encourage him to use words.
Between the ages of 12 and 18 months, children begin to say their first words. During this stage, psychologist Stamer recommends encouraging your child to use words to express themselves when they are angry or asking you for help.
Don't reinforce his behavior.
Gretchen Kinnell, author of No Biting, advises against letting a child enjoy things they used aggressive behavior to obtain. “If their strategy works, they will continue to use it to get what they want,” she says.
Don't overlook it
By observing your child, you will find that there are certain indicators and recurring situations that lead to their use of biting. When around others, monitor your child closely, and if you suspect that they will use biting due to any situation that upsets them, try to intervene before something happens that triggers their feelings.
If he does bite another child, remove your child from the group of children, stay with him, and try to calm him down. Then explain to him that biting hurts others, and repeat to him alternative ways to express his feelings instead of biting, so that he learns how to deal with his feelings differently next time.
give him more attention
One reason for biting behavior is an attempt to attract parental attention, especially during major life changes, such as weaning or the arrival of a sibling. Giving your child more attention may help them feel safe and calm them down, preventing them from resorting to biting.
Praise his kind behavior.
Use positive reinforcement when your child behaves kindly toward others. The more you pay attention to good behavior, the more likely he or she will want to repeat it.
Read him stories
You can use books, picture stories, or videos about biting. Spend time with your child and explain to him while he looks at the pictures, and repeat this with him.
Do not use the bite
Avoid biting your child while playing or joking. If a family member bites your child while playing, you can explain your disapproval of this play and its effect on your child.
Also, don't heed the advice of some people that biting your child in the same way as they bite someone else teaches them that this behavior is painful and will prompt them to stop. This is not true. Vivian Washington , an early childhood professor at Michigan State University, warns against physically or psychologically abusing a child, as this may make them more aggressive.
Also, avoid labeling your child as a "biter" and talking about their behavior in front of them and others. Child psychologist Kate Eshleman told the Cleveland Clinic , "Biting doesn't mean your child is bad, as this is a common behavior among children. But calling them that can negatively impact your child's self-image and how you feel about them."
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