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Original poster

My baby has been bitten hard at nursery

62 replies

Evaa9 · 10/04/2025 18:34

My baby (10 months) has been bitten hard by an older baby at nursery. She has a huge, deep, purple bite mark on her hand. Would you take your baby out if this happened? I don’t know how they have let this happen and apparently the child has done this before.

OP posts:
Original poster
Evaa9 · 10/04/2025 18:35

They also lied and said it was a bite to her finger. But she has a huge bite mark to her hand

OP posts:
Drearycommuter · 10/04/2025 18:37

whats the age gap between her and the child who did it?

my dd was a biter. I hated it but there really wasn’t much anyone could do, she was fast.

hope your dd is ok

Createausername1970 · 10/04/2025 18:39

Hmmm.

I would certainly be asking how it happened and wanting some reassurance that the other child would be better supervised.

If it was an otherwise OK nursery I wouldn't remove my child on the basis of one incident, but that might change if other things occur.

user1471538275 · 10/04/2025 18:39

It happens. If the other child hasn't done it before then it is impossible to predict - they lunge towards another baby and who knows what they will do - hug them, kiss them, push them, bite them.

It happened to mine at a similar age and I was absolutely horrified, thought I had failed to protect him.

Unless I never let him interact with another child I could not have stopped it.

If it keeps happening it's different. But a one off - it's really par for the course.

Favouritefruits · 10/04/2025 18:39

Kids bite other kids it’s just life, wait till they start school. No way would I pull my child out of nursery for something like this. It’s awful thinking I’m your child has been ‘attacked’ but it’s just something that happens my eldest son wasn’t a biter but his best friend was, they are 11 now and have definitely grown out of the biting stage!

Bryonyberries · 10/04/2025 18:42

Bites are very upsetting and when your child is the one bitten and so little it feels heartbreaking.

It is common for babies to bite others and it often happens in a moment and can’t be prevented unless the biter has an obvious trigger (ie a child has their favourite toy or doesn’t like getting crowded) at which point those caring could intervene early. Many babies just bite to explore their environment and see what reaction they get, it isn’t often it’s malicious in under twos.

Have a chat with the nursery and see what they are doing to try to prevent bites. Many nurseries will have a biter even if you move to a different one so working with the current nursery, providing you are otherwise happy, is the best first step.

HelloSunshine346 · 10/04/2025 18:45

Have a chat and see what they say. Context is everything. Are they generally a lovely and attentive nursery?

My 8 month old has just started biting, he thinks he's playing and I think related to teething too. I think I have nipped it in the bud but I'm sure he'll start doing it again in a few months, all toddlers do it. Sometimes stuff like this happens and toddlers can be lightning fast.

Flaskfan · 10/04/2025 18:58

My ds was bitten a few times in nursery, in the room where they run around a lot and it's all a bit mad. I was furious in private, but obviously very calm in public😁 Always remembered the kid's name though....
.... which is how I know they're in the same form, 12 years later! She hasn't bitten him yet, though.

Flaskfan · 10/04/2025 18:58

And my mum still bears a grudge against the kid who bit me when I was little!

AlisounOfBath · 10/04/2025 19:00

My kid got bitten. Large bruise on hand. It wouldn’t have occurred to me to take them out - I assumed it was a one-off and so it turned out to be. Repeatedly? Yes, I would definitely complain or take them out. If it doesn’t happen again and if the nursery is otherwise good, why stress the baby by changing their caregivers? Before long your little sweetheart will be giving as good as she gets - that’s all part of life’s rich tapestry as a big baby/toddler! If it never happens again then it’s nothing to worry about. There’s absolutely no malice in it when they are so little. Children don’t develop empathy until much later. You’re likely to be much more upset than your baby is.

Lyra87 · 10/04/2025 19:49

I used to work in nursery's. This is something really common and will happen in any environment with babies and toddler, whether with a childminder or nursery. It's horrible when your child is bitten but it's equally tough to hear your child has bitten. Even children who don't normally bite can have an off day and randomly decide to bite. I wouldn't be taking her out over it.

Carblover · 10/04/2025 19:50

@

PrincessOfPreschool · 10/04/2025 19:55

Where I used to work a 3yo child came back from holiday with a huge bite mark on her FACE. You could see a whole circle of teeth marks in her cheek. Her little cousin did it and it left a mark for quite a while. Every time I looked at her I thanked my lucky stars it didn't happen at our nursery, because her mum was a bit high maintenance.

WhatsTheMatterDavid · 10/04/2025 20:00

To preface this, I'm aware I'm not the best mother... But I've never been bothered to hear my child has been bitten, it's par for the course with little ones and I've mostly just been relieved that my child was bitten and not the biter on that occasion. If it was happening regularly I'd have a problem, but the odd bite is just what happens unfortunately.

Allseeingallknowing · 10/04/2025 20:01

OP- did you take photos?

JackieDaytonaLuckyBrews · 10/04/2025 20:05

It's common at nursery/preschool -unfortunately small children do occasionally smack, pinch and bite. My two came home a few times with scratches and once a bite mark. Same with my nieces and nephews. Its absolutely horrible obviously; nobody wants to see their child hurt.

Deadringer · 10/04/2025 20:08

I used to mind 2 little girls, one of whom was a biter and it was a nightmare, she was so fast it was unbelievable. One day I was sitting firmly between them while I read them a story, even though I was on high alert the biter managed to get a quick bite in. It was t most stressful time of my life and I ended up giving up childminding because of it. I sympathise op it's very upsetting but it's very very difficult to prevent ime.

PeopleTalkingWithoutSpeaking · 10/04/2025 20:08

Poor little mite. I'd ask about the circumstances how they are going to prevent it in future, but as an isolated incident you've got to let it go unless you are going to stop them mixing at all.

My mum still holds a bit of a grudge against the boy who bite me (on my face!) when I was 1 and he was 2.5. My mum and a few other mum friends were at Biter's house, apparently it caused pandemonium! 😆🤦‍♀️

nwsw · 10/04/2025 20:11

It happens

Perhaps one day your child will be the biter. It's unpredictable and nobody's fault.

itsgettingweird · 10/04/2025 20:11

My ds was bitten at nursery. They were very honest and said they didn’t see it happen and DS didn’t make a fuss so they didn’t know he was hurt.

Poor keyworker felt awful.

I just said if ds wasn’t upset they weren’t to know - kids bite.

But I was also reassured ds was getting amazing care by how much the keyworker was upset it had happened.

We still don’t know how or when or who as DS was fine if marked and bruised - he’s 20 now!

mellongoose · 10/04/2025 20:17

Mine was bitten by her friend when I and other mum were both watching. It happened a couple of times at soft play and other child was disciplined etc.

it was annoying because that then became my child’s weapon of choice on us when tantrumming in the toddler years. Never another child or adult; just us! She grew out of it.

pimplebum · 10/04/2025 20:19

They haven’t lied ! Fingers/ hand is same thing! you are getting hung up on semantics

my daughter bit another kid and left a mark , she is a nice normal non bitey 15 year old

your child may well bite another child at some point or Wack them on the head , snatch , push or any number of normal , every day baby behaviours

massive over reaction on your part , plus you will loose your deposit if you pull her out suddenly.

Doolallies · 10/04/2025 20:20

My son got bitten on the face. Deep purple teeth marks on his cheek.

it was very upsetting for him and for me. It took almost a year for the marks to fully fade.

nursery said they were sorry but not much they could do as Steven (yes I found out the little shits name) couldn’t really be prevented from biting other kids and they would try to stop it happening again. Lucky son finished at that nursery not long after that

savingmysanity · 10/04/2025 20:20

My daughter bit her best friend the other week, she's 14 months but managed to draw blood. She hasn't done it since and was apparently quite upset when she saw he was upset. I was horrified, embarrassed but also terrified the other mom would have a reaction like yours. I get that no one wants their kids hurt but unfortunately kids bite sometimes and if it's a one off I wouldn't be making a big deal out of it.

SpanielsEar · 10/04/2025 20:24

With a toddler, no I wouldn’t take them out. With a ten month old.. absolutely. That shouldn’t have happened as there should be adequate supervision, you have a vulnerable young baby and the risks are much higher.