My 17 month old has starting biting everybody!!!! Any tips??

[Reesie]

My lovely dd has a great sunny personality and has always been such mellow little girl. However, the last couple of weeks she has started biting other people - usually out of frustration such as in toddler group when another child takes a toy or if I'm trying to get her changed if she's particularly tired.

A couple of people have said 'bite her back' but I'm a mellow person and I don't think that would be setting a good example to her - telling her to not to do something when I then go and do to her!!!

I know that it can just be a phase they go through - but has anybody any tips? I'm not taking her to toddler group/see friends if she's tired and I always tell her 'no' if she does bite and take her home (after apologising profusely to child and mum...) if I haven't been able to distract/stop her before she does a lunge... I feel awful for the poor child she's bitten.

How long is this going to last? How can I make her stop?

Any suggestions?

No advice I'm afraid as our 16mo ds does this and we haven't found the answer either. So just to say you are not alone and I think it's fairly normal. Seems to be worse for DS when he is teething (molars at present) and then is more snappy and also looking for things to gnaw. Good luck.

Sorry to be a pessimist but with DS it went on for nearly a year, starting at about the same age. I reckon we didn't always handle it well but we tried to not give him negative attention and give all the attention to the victim. Sadly the only real answer is vigilance and learning to recognise the cues, it's hard work. If you Google "biting toddler" you'll find some really good advice out there. In the end we cracked it with toy confiscation but he was quite a bit older by then.

search for my name and biting in archives. you'll find loads!

suffice to say, it stopped. and ds is not a sociopath as I feared! he is 4 now btw. and it stopped years ago (i think around 2)

Could it be that she's just feeling really insecure? If she is at home with her own toys does she bite?

DD has gone through some shocking habits herself, pinching was her thing. I just said 'no' very firmly and then if that didn't stop her, isolated her, either putting her in another room or the car or if we couldn't get away physically picking her up and holding her close (be careful if she's bitey though). This did ease things.

BTW it lasted a few weeks with us, then she just stopped.

It might last a year..???? Oh dear - I'll have no friends left by then!!!

At the moment - I just say 'no' very firmly and remove her from the situation.

She does it at home too. Usually when I'm trying to get her to do something she doesn't want to (ie get changed) when she's tired. She doesn't seem insecure. I'm a bit of a AP parent - she still co-sleeps. I work but child care is shared by my husband, myself and my mum. I can't think of anything that may have changed to unsettle her.

She's a very independant little girl and quite likes to do things herself - I thought she might be frustrated. Thanks for the suggestions so far - I'm off to have a look in the archives! It's also great to know that my child is not the only budding hannibal lecter!!!

Reesie your friends will just be relieved it's not their kid doing it!

Honestly I know some kids at toddlers who are little bloody horrors and I always thank my lucky stars because they make DD look marvellous in comparison (sorry I know that's cold comfort now but they will go through these things too at different times and knowing you've had this problem and will be more compassionate towards their little darlings will stand you in good stead).

wmmc - thanks - I do know what you mean. Some children in toddler are crazy and make my dd look angelic in comparison!!! I'll keep repaeting my favourate phrase...it's just a phase, it's just a phase, it's just a phase......

my son is 15 months old and he is always biting me. most of the time hes trying to get my attention...a odd way of doing it!...or its frustration...he also headbuts the floor so i think its better he bites me then gets brain damage!
Im hoping its a phase! lol

Yesterday DD bite DS, I pray I'm not in for another year of it.

Well my mum, and a nanny I know (although she is now 85, and retired) swears by biting them back!!! Dont take a chunk, obviously!! Just let them feel your teeth on their flesh, and they realise that it could hurt gives them a shock, so makes them think the next time they consider they taking a chunk outta someone else.

Got to do it straight away though dont go and randomly bite their arm!! Do it instantly!

I know lots of people say to me - bite her back - I just don't feel comfortable doing it. I would never bite anybody! Also I think that I'm telling her no to biting but then go on and do it to her myself. I'm not sure if thats a good example!!

Agree Reesie, don't bite back it sends the wrong message.