How to stop biting

[martymonty]

Hi
Looking for some suggestions, I have a 18 month old dcb who has been biting for the last several weeks, he did it quite some time ago when he was teething, but we managed to get through without to many kids getting "bit"....Now he's biting for no apparent reason, if he's walking by a child, he'll just squat and chomp, if he wants a toy they are playing with, he just lays into them...I have spoken to the parents and they are open to any suggestions. I've tried time outs (which he doesn't fully understand) Now I have had to put him in a playpen while I am out of the room making lunch, doing bathroom breaks etc. It doesn't seem to phase him. Of course the other parents are not thrilled but are actually been pretty understanding. What have you found works for a biter :(
THANKS!!!

[bright sparks]

Honestly if it isn't out of temper then it would just be a case of shadowing and constantly doing behaviour modification via negative reinforcement....tha t is what I would do. Putting in a playpen or highchair when you leave the room is your best bet too as you have been doing. Maybe rather than time outs, having him in a highchair in the room for a longer period of time as a repercussion for biting would mean he can see all the fun happening but can not join in, and if this is constantly your response to him trying to bite or actually biting then maybe he will be less likely. Unfortunately his age really doesn't help in the communication and comprehension of the whole situation. Good Luck

[Rachael]

I've dealt with this both as a parent when my now 15 year old was in a day care and he too didn't defend himself and had some wicked bites from one child but I've seen it as a carer too.

Step 1 - Which it sounds like you've already done. Speak directly to the parents and inform them that this has to be resolved jointly and promptly as you have a responsibility to all children in your care. They must take this seriously because if he's doing this at home and they are just saying "ouch, don't do that' it's not effective or if they treat it as a joke.

Step 2 - Watch the biter really closely and be ready to intervene the second he thinks about biting. No need to wait until he's actually done it if you can see if coming.

Step 3 - Move fast, and swoop the biter up and pop him straight into time out. The speed at which you move, is key. As carer's we rarely scoop a child up promptly and plop them down without first having issued a few verbal cues or corrections. When we normally place a child in time out, it's after them being reminded not to do the offensive action, whatever that might be, a few firm "no"s and so lots of communication before the harshest of actions - the time out/exclusion period.

When you move fast, with no verbal warning, and no communication, a child really takes notice of that because it's so unusual.

Once in time out, don't speak to them, don't make eye contact, don't smile.

Biters often do it for attention - and even the negative attention of being told off or spoken to is still attention. The swift movement, exclusion, lack of eye contact, lack of speech, is the polar opposite of attention. BUT you have to do it every time and they have to be able to sense you are really ticked at them and displeased.

I've had a lot of success with this method of ending various unwanted but serious habits that potentially affect other children in the day care. That said, I rarely give a time out so if I was to scoop a child up and put them on the time out chair especially not having issued a couple of verbal warning first about being gentle, then they know it's serious.

[Secondtimearound]

Yes as Rachel has said, parents can be making light of the issue and could be talking too much instead of acting on the behaviour .