Sinking the teeth in

Biting can also be a sign of boredom, fatigue, anger, hunger, or simply a teething problem. And as with many other negative forms of behaviour, biting can represent a call for attention.

Dealing with biting

Our health visitor advised us to adopt the following approach in an effort to calm Benedict’s canines. (It’s a method recommended in numerous childcare manuals as well.) Tell your child off firmly, and then give them no more attention. Lavish much TLC instead on the injured party. I wish I could say that it worked instantly and that we all lived happily ever after.

Our local authority’s under-eight department were appalled that a child should be asked to leave nursery for biting. They felt that a good nursery should be able to cope with such a common problem but thankfully, we were able to find alternative childcare, and Benedict’s biting did stop; but slowly, slowly, over the next few months.

Benedict was two when our second baby arrived. But we still had to watch him like a hawk. Even now, at the age of four, he might suddenly bite a younger sibling if they row, but it’s rare.

Advice to chew on

• If your child bites, tell them: ‘No, that hurts,’ very firmly, and then turn your back on them so that they are deprived of any more attention.
• Make a big fuss of the injured child.
• Don’t bite your child in play, no matter how delicious that little leg looks.
• Don’t bite your child back. It can give a child a very confusing message: ‘If it’s OK for mummy to bite me, why can’t I bite mummy?’
• Is your child teething? Giving them a cool teether to chomp on may relieve their distress.
• Look for patterns. Children may bite when they are hungry, tired, bored, stressed or arguing over a toy. Keep your child busy. Distraction works wonders.