11 month old, biting, quite upset

[chopy]

Hi, would really appreciate any opinions or help. It was my fault, but I was feeding my ds this evening, and he seemed quite happy. He looked liked he had nearly had enough of the fish pie I was feeding him, and he pushed my hand away a couple of times (I should have listened), but he hadn't eaten much so I thought I would try one more time to offer him the spoon and he went nuts. He grabbed hold of my hand and bit it quite hard. I said no very firmly but then he just grabbed it again and bit it harder and started really shouting and crying, but not like normal. When I pulled my hand away, he started biting his own hand. It was really out the blue and very uppsetting and quite scary. I took his hand away from his mouth and but he was really angry and uspet and wouldn't stop trying to bite his own hands so I took him out the high chair and tried to cuddle him, but he wouldn't calm down, so I took his favorite toy (his book) and he finally calmed down. He has never done anything like this before and it really took me by surprise and upset me. I thought he would hurt himself and am now worried about him doing it again or doing it to another child. Is this a tantrum? I wasn't expecting anything like this until he was quite a bit older.. Sorry, seems like a stupid question. Thanks.

I meant to add of course, what should I do if/when he does this again? What is the best way to react?

chopy, my dd is nearly 10 months and does this when very tired, very frustrated, and/or teething. I think its quite normal, her way of expressing her frustration when overwhelmed with feelings

I've no idea what others would do, but I just try and stay calm and say 'no biting' whilst removing my hand or whatever else is being 'attacked'. And I also try and 'get' whatever she's saying to me - ie 'I've had enough' or 'I'm exhausted' or 'my mouth hurts'. Thats the hard part, of course!

It also makes me feel better (and maybe dd, she does seem to calm down when I do it) to say out loud things like 'you're angry because Mummy didn't listen. I'm sorry I didn't listen.' If nothing else its good practise for when they're a bit older

When my DD (now 12 months) does this, I find distraction works quite well. So I`ll start doing a little dance in front of her, and she gets shocked and totally forgets what she was doing before. Or you could bounce a bright toy in front of him or something, throw him in the air. Anything to distract him really, and not concentrate on the actualy mini-tantrum.

Sounds like he bite in frustration, as you said you kept offering and offering and he kept saying 'no'. He was trying to tell you and he did it to get you to take notice. He cant talk, so thats his way of letting you know.

If he does do it again, you did the right thing, just a firm 'no'.

Hi everyone, Thank you so much for your messages, they are really helpful and so nice to know that he is not the only one that has done it! I definitely have to listen more to what he is trying to tell me, I forget how frustrating it must be for him sometimes. Thanks again for the advice, which I will be taking, and for taking time to write.