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Why Children Bite

Conditions

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Patients can be seen by Texas Children's experts in Emergency Center.

Although biting is fairly common in young children, it is often worrisome to adults. A family member, playmate, or classmate at daycare or preschool may be the one bitten. Biting can be painful and frightening when it occurs. It upsets other children and often angers teachers and other adults. It is best to discourage it from the very first episode.

Biting is usually caused by many different reasons.

  • Teething: Babies and young children may bite to help relieve pain from teething. You can help this by offering age-appropriate oral pain medicine or topical teething gel.  Offer them things that they can safely bite on such as teething rings.
  • Experimental biting: is done by infants and toddlers as they explore their world to determine cause and effect. They put everything in their mouths and sometimes bite in the process. You can help decrease biting by telling them, "No--biting hurts!" and being firm and consistent.
  • Frustration biting. Frustration biting happens when young children become frustrated and unable to cope with a situation. Until they learn how to play cooperatively, they may respond to the demands of other children and by hitting or biting. Some helpful guidelines for decreasing this type of biting include:
    • Keep playtimes short and play groups small.
    • Supervise young children's play closely.
    • If biting occurs, say, "No, don't bite. Biting hurts." and remove your child from the situation right away. Stay with your child and help him or her to calm down. Explore other, better ways to handle the situation with your child, so he or she learns to handle emotions differently next time.
  • Powerless biting. Powerless biting occurs when a child is in need of feeling strong and in control of a situation. Sometimes, the youngest child in the family uses biting for attention seeking or act in self-defense. To help prevent this type of biting:
    • Make sure your child feels protected and is not always being "picked on" by others.
    • Explain the situation to bigger or older children and get their help to make things more equal.
    • If biting occurs, tell your child that he or she is not to bite and remove him or her from the situation right away. Stay with your child and help him or her to calm down. Explore other, better ways to handle the situation with your child, so he or she learns to handle emotions differently next time.
  • Stressful biting. Stressful biting is done when a child is under a lot of emotional stress. Biting may be a sign of distress or pain when the child is upset or angry. If this occurs:
    • Try to find out what is bothering your child. Watch for what happens right before the biting occurs.
    • Help your child to find other ways to express his or her feelings. Let him or her know that biting is wrong and remove him or her from the situation right away.
  • If your child bites, respond firmly, but calmly, to the biting. Let your child know that you disapprove and remove him or her from the situation. Help your child learn new ways to handle things. If your child bites repeatedly, be sure to consult your child's doctor or other health care provider about the problem.

Strategies that are NOT helpful

  • Labeling your child as a "biter". Negative labels can affect how you view your child and even affect how the child feels about him or herself.
  • Avoid getting angry, yelling or shaming your child for biting.
  • Avoid giving too much attention to a child who bites. While this is usually negative attention, it can still reinforce the behavior and cause a child to repeat it.

Helpful Strategies to Help Your Child Overcome a Habit of Biting

  • Observe your child to learn where, when, why and in what situations the biting occurs.
  • Pay close attention to pre-biting signals and step in when your child seems to be ready to bite.
  • Never bite back.
  • Reinforce positive behavior by acknowledging child's appropriate words or actions.
  • Provide opportunities for your child to make good choices and feel empowered.
  • Make sure your expectations for your child are age-appropriate and individually appropriate. Expecting your child to do something he or she is not able to do can cause children to feel stress and stress can lead to biting.
  • Offer foods with a variety of textures to meet your child's sensory needs.
  • Teach your child words for setting limits, such as "no", "stop", "that's mine".
  • You may always discuss biting behaviors with your child's medical provider.