Pre verbal 2 yo(s) biting third triplet

[duchesse]

Just hoping to consult you multiples ladies on behalf of some friends.

Our friends are struggling a little with getting on top of the biting among their triplets. It seems to be mostly two of the triplets but the other (identical) boy in particular biting the third one really quite hard- he's now covered in marks all over his back. They've tried all the techniques they can think of- separation, making a fuss of the bitten child, "naughty step", although they acknowledge that at just 2 and being slightly behind due to prematurity and still non-verbal the naughty step may be of limited use- they mostly use it to separate biter from bitee.

My friends are handling their situation amazingly well (they also have 4yo twins) but are finding this more than a little trying and I wondered if anybody had any advice for them. They are both HCPs and have tried everything they advise to their patients so far, but to no avail. I thought it was probably a fairly normal phase for 2 yo, but the problem is that it's the same poor little sausage being bitten each time.

Any advice for them?

Oh dear, I seem to have posted this at the wrong time of day or something.

I was hoping someone might be able to suggest something that had worked for them on managing the behaviour of triplets. There seems to be a kind of herd mentality at work which makes x times harder to keep charge of vs singletons. I think my friends would find a little less of a worry if it were all the trips biting each other. They're struggling with the fact that it's 2 of them biting the third iyswim.

it's not a very active topic duchesse... really just here to bounce it for you as my experience is limited to one older one and then twins who are still babies.

The only thing I can think of is constant vigilance but that must be nigh on impossible with 5 preschoolers - the fact they are all alive at the end of the day surely is an incredible achievement in itself!

I also would just continue with the massive fuss making of the bitten child. And persevere with the time out - I did with DS at that age (for pushing) and it cracked it pretty quickly combined with using the time out somewhere he could see me making a fuss of the 'injured' child.

Thanks Weegle. That's pretty much what I advised them, but my experience of rearing multiples is nil, so just wanted to know if there were any extra difficulties in disciplining mutliples (I imagine there must be logistical ones at the very least).

And yes I agree with you about them all being alive at the end of the day. That was my gauge of a good day when I had three under 5s, let alone 5!

When I worked in a nursery we used to have one of us watch the little snap dragons and distract them when they went to bite. But with Dt's and Triplets thats not always going to be popssible.

My Dt's don't bite but the boy has taken to throwing massive wobblies when he is frustrated.

Positive reinforcement of good behaviour may work better than punishing the negative.