Biting

[PicklesThePottyMouthedParrot]

My DS is normally a lovely happy boy but he has developed a real problem with biting. I was out today and literally spent the whole time stopping him biting other children, he was going for them with his mouth open like a little shark.

He is 16 months old and not verbal yet. I am saying NO BITING and have removed him from the toy etc repeatedly but it dosent seem to stop. Today it wasnt even over a toy he lurched at another boy just for walking past.

Has anyone had this and have good suggestions to help at all? (before we loose all our friends!)

LOSE! LOSE our friends I mean.

My ds went through a stage of this. It was really really awful,. I would dread takign him places tbh. The unhelpful thing is, nothing I did helped. I would just have to watch him like a hawk. He started doing it at about 18 months I suppose and it lasted a good year. But then he stopped, just like that, and now he's 4 he wouldn't dream of doing anything of the kind, so it's not a sign that he's going to be naughty iyswim. The only thing you can do is keep telling him no, and keep vigilant. It's very awkward to be the mother of a biter, but tbh now I'm over the other side it's given me massive empathy with people whose dc do the same. I don't make a fuss now if I see another biter as I know how soul destroying it can be to see yet another mother glaring at you for your dc daring to open their mouth near their pfb.

Oh a year! I can see he is going to do it a mile off, he opens his mouth in a circle and sort of dives on them.

Good to know he stopped though..

It is awful, I feel really judged when we are out and you cant relax for a second.

Pickles, the people who judge will be 'blessed' with a biter when they have another child. Tis karma, innit. It's nothing you've done wrong.

Ok. The quickest way is to temporarily remove him from anyone - immediately - as soon as he attempts to bite. This typically means placing him facing away from other children every time he does this. Say no, and move him away and repeat as often as it takes for him to get the message. Less than a minute away is max time. He will prob protest and cry.

Limit how much you say, to avoid inadvertently giving negative attention. He might be enjoying the reaction. So minimize this if you can.

He won't have any understanding that it's hurting - and he won't have developed any empathy yet. This phase will pass. Doing this approach can eradicate it quickly.

Great thanks, I'll try it..

Please remember it's a phase a considerable minority of children go through. It's awful for you, but, doing as you are doing will help save lots of other people from being bitten, and will show other families you are doing everything you can. Sympathies, it's a really difficult thing to live with as a parent, but he will grow out of it... just keep repeating to yourself "It's a phase...It's a phase".

Thanks, I feel awful when he gets hold of another child but I move quickly and have avoided a nasty bite.

sorry I know it's a serious problem but it's such a cute image, a wee baby with his mouth open like a shark looking for prey!

He is exactly like that! And he looks so sweet and innocent... No one is expecting him to pounce!