HELP he is a tiny manic biter....

[lemonice]

he is 14 mths and quite little but with BIG BIG teeth...and he can bite like a Jack Russell.

If it's a soft toy or a big doll that he has he greets it by burying his face and biting...

He has now done this to a child who tried to kiss him...we were at the docs in the waiting room and a little girl about three maybe was trying to play with him and I was supervising closely as he is only just standing. They had been passing keys between them and all fine until he suddenly bit her hand..a few minutes later they were together again and she bent to kiss him and he bit her cheek (in a frenzied fashion which is how he sometimes is with toys) and although I was actually holding his arm it happened so quick that I couldn't stop him

The poor little girl had teeth marks on her cheek, it was a proper bite...other than keeping him away from other children how is it best to teach him how to behave..

not sure ds is as manic as yours - but he does sometimes come up to me and bite my hand or finger. (tho quite sore). So far I managed to remove him and say 'no biting' loudly and sternly - tho he does usually giggle and run off!
But he has been bitten a couple of times at nursery - so I think it is a phase they go through.

Are you sure he's not copying something he's seen on TV or someone else playing with him? my ds (15mo) will copy anything me or dh do - we really have to watch what we do eg throwing biscuits for the dog - ds throws all sorts of things AT her now!

Both my DS's have been through 'biting' phases...........both around the 1yr marker (give or take or month or two). I agree with the 'removing' and 'no' method......they do grow out of it though - DS2 is now nearly 19 months and hasn't bitten for AGES.

What worries me is the way he does it which is frenzied and he does have a real manic glint in his eye..he doesn't mix with other children at all really although he has started going to gym bobs or whatever it's called but that is not really mixing as such

We had to go back to the docs for another reason later and I could see he had the same idea in his head with another child and was ridiculously over excited by a little girls toy puppy on a lead which she obviously loved to bits and he was going for it...I think her mum must have thought I was bonkers as I was trying to stop him putting his face near it and saying ahh let's love the puppy stroke him nicely etc etc!!

By the way I am his grandma not his mum

"What worries me is the way he does it which is frenzied and he does have a real manic glint in his eye.."

Oh yes - DS1 wasn't like that - he'd just walk up to you and bite you. DS2 was a different story - rush up to you, big grin, launch his teeth into your thigh, hand, leg, whatever and then run off laughing

my boy is same age and did EXACTLY same thing
i kept putting him down / walking away from him and loudly saying "no biting"
he eventually stopped
i think it is age, and also, to see if they get a reaction - so, i give him no reaction (the walking away), and the negative reinforcement for the behaviour ("no biting")

maybe he needs a bit more socialisation - nursery maybe or swimming classes?

both my boys went to lots of groups from tiny babies - didn't stop them biting

I think he would benefit from more time with other children unfortunately his mum doesn't have any friends with children...

If he was mine I would go to toddler group but she finds the idea of them scary

and she is now even more put off at the prospect of putting him in with other children..

I am on dangerous ground here because I am not his mum but I do have him about half the week...

could you take him to groups in your half of the week. If he bites, just pick him and take him out and he loses the rest of the class! Are you sure he's not copying someone doing this to him? I know my dh play fights with ds and pins him on the ground and either goes raaar raaar on his tummy and blows raspberries or pretends to be a tiger. He doesn't have someone doing this and then he's copying it?

I did think of it at one time but I wouldn't now because his mum is a bit sensitive about other people imagining that he is their son (I think this actually refers to his dad's sister but I made a mental note in no way to appear to act as his mum!!!)

lemonice - on a separate note - big brownie points to you for being sensitive to your daughter/daughter-in-laws feelings about her son

my MIL acts as if she is my son's mother, and disregards / ignores / critisizes my thoughts and wishes on how to bring him up

whilst i appreciate and am grateful for the fact that she loves my son, i wish she was more a "grandmother" and less judgemental

well done to you for your sensitivity and concern

tbh - I think she would be grateful if you took him to groups surely? what does she expect you to do ? entertain him all day in the house? at the end of the day - its the baby thats the important one and if groups would help him then its got to be done. I'd love someone to take my ds to groups! esp if he had a 'problem' that could maybe be helped.

my DS loves "Tumble Tots" - he gets to mix with other children, but there is also plenty to do and climb on, so it takes the pressure off being very close to other children - perhaps something like that will be a good introduction to groups ??

i would just ask her "i thought maybe he might enjoy XXX. what do you think? do you think that would be a good idea?" then she's has an opportunity to agree/disagree and explain why

I have him tomorrow I will discourage him when he is doing it with a toy which may help...any other suggestions or anybody else experienced this over excited manic biting behaviour?

Sophable may be able to help you, she had a Hannibal Lecter who is getting better...

dd1 (not his mum) used the Hannibal Lecter comparison which I was tempted to put but thought it might not be considered appropriate, but that pretty much describes his socialising...

Have been and read Sophable biting threads, but haven't found an answer...

It does seem a perplexing issue, dgs has been doing it for quite a while with some types of toys (soft ones) and I didn't take a great deal of notice/it didn't seem to matter, but he is now definitely going for children if he gets the chance...it isn't nastiness, he just gets deliriously manic and is sssooooo quick ...

oh god lemonice...i'm so sorry i can't help.. he's getting worse not better...he was at a playcentre today, and just grabbed or went to bite everyone that got in his way...was awful...

weirdly he didn't really go for CD's dd...

feel like he really knows what he is doing...and short of saying no. taking him away from anything fun and explaining to him at length how awful it is to bite and how painful and terrible to be bitten, i don't know hwat else to do...

just noticed your reply again (see the other thread)I'm passing through quickly tonight..I want to keep up with you, because i read your posts and can see it's a real worry for you (I'm only the grandma now so not the same...but would like to keep in touch...dd is worried)