Young children in child care settings may bite for several reasons. Your child may bite because he or she lacks ways to communicate. For example, your child may be hungry and cannot tell the provider. Talk to your provider about your child's eating and drinking schedule. Changing the timing of snack or meal times may stop the biting.
In other cases, children may bite out of frustration. For example, if another child is too close or takes away a toy, your child may bite in retaliation. In those cases, helping the child learn to recognize and manage their emotions helps to stop the biting. One way to do this is to give the words needed to solve the problem. Another way to handle biting is to change the environment so there is enough space and enough toys for everyone.
In all cases, it’s helpful to take time to observe exactly what happens with the child just prior to the biting incident. If possible, step in to intervene, stop the biting, and re-direct the child once you figure out the probable cause of the biting.
For more information about how your child care provider can handle your child's biting, check out the eXtension Alliance for Better Child Care article on preventing repeated biting.
