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Behaviour/development

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22 month ds keeps biting his sister

1 reply

snickersnack · 06/05/2009 12:01

He?s never bitten anyone else ? occasionally he?s gone for me but I know the signs and can avoid it. It?s definitely not aggressive ? when they are squabbling, he is much more likely to burst into tears and run away than fight back. It sounds crazy, but I think he does it out of love ? they will be playing and he?ll get overexcited and lunge for her with his teeth bared.

I?m really at a loss about how to deal with it. We make a big fuss of her (she?s 4) and put him in his room for 2 minutes and then make him apologise and give her a hug. We say ?no biting, it hurts people? very firmly ? he definitely knows it?s not the right thing to do as he will spontaneously give her a hug and make the sign for ?sorry?. (His language is quite delayed because of hearing problems). I don?t think there?s much else we can do with him, and I should probably be grateful he isn?t going for other children, but I wonder what the best advice for dd is? She loves hugging and wrestling with him ? they are very physical together, and I think this might be an extension of that. I?ve told her she has to watch him, and move out of his way if he starts going for her with teeth, but it doesn?t seem to be working. A small part of me thinks that if she were to bite him back, it might stop the problem, but I certainly don?t want to be the one to encourage her to do this.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
littleboyblue · 06/05/2009 12:04

Tbh, I wouldn't be dealing with it by making dd watch for signs of biting, I'd be trying to get ds to stop, especially before it starts happening with other people.
I've been lucky so far and haven't had this problem, but a friend of mine did and she once bit her ds back, not hard obviously, just to show him it hurts and apparently he never did it again.
I'm not telling you to bite him, but there's nothing wrong with your dd learning how to defend herself is there?

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