ADHD biting age 5 year 1

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We adopted our son when he was around one year-old. Do not really have much of a past Family picture. He’s yet to be formally diagnosed but teachers indicated they think he has mild ADHD. He started biting when extremely frustrated around age 2, he would do this at nursery every six weeks to 2 months. When he joined reception last year, it happened five or six times between September -Christmas and then it pretty much stopped. Maybe one bite over the summer term. He’s returned to school in year one, and it is ramped up again. We’re probably on bite number six of the year. School have plenty of teachers and teaching assistants, and manage it well. Cause appears to be always a fight over a toy, or a tussle in a game with other children and my son gets v aggravated, can’t control his emotions of the situations,he then bites. There’s only my husband and I at home, so and he doesn’t invite us at home. He pretty much always bites another little boy at school, he’s never bitten a girl. I have seen them in action and in a class of 30, 15 or so little boys can be quite rough and tumble, and I think my son becomes overwhelmed, even though he does involve himself in the games.

We explain regularly to him that it’s not nice and it’s not good behaviour. We have a book we do about once a week on a night about what to do when you were angry.

Does anyone have any advice of any other ideas about how we can help my son manage distress in these situations? As far as I’m aware developmentally he doesn’t have the skill to stop himself in biting, when he becomes extremely agitated.

I would like to help him, and also help the school manage him.

Any advice is very gratefully received. We are first time parents and have no experience of this.

How are DS’s communication skills? Biting can sometimes be related to frustration around communication.

Does DS show any sensory issues? Biting can often be related to sensory difficulties.

What about his wider anxiety levels? Overwhelm from transitions may be playing a part.

What support is the school providing? Particularly around emotional literacy and emotional regulation.

Has the school completed a STAR analysis or ABC chart?

1. his communication skills are really good. He’s really good at speaking, expressing how he feels, he does get angry quickly but that tends to be when he’s tired or overwhelmed.
2. in terms of sensory issues they assessed him and I’m not sure what the technical term is but he’s not very good at listening, so you have to ask him something three or four times.
3. I don’t know anything about wider anxiety. He’s not anxious at Home. He goes to before & after school club, and he hasn’t had any instances of biting there. My inclination is that it’s 30 kids in a small classroom perhaps it just gets a bit rowdy, which causes his overwhelm,but there’s nothing I can do to change the situation there.
4. thats a very good point. I know after PE The are teaching them box breathing and belly breathing. But he isn’t the only child in the class to bite. And I think they could do with almost having a lesson on it. My concern with the teacher is that she was going to take away an element of playtime, but that’s reducing decompression time for an already stressed child. We discussed this and they’re now aren’t gonna take away playtime if he get so overwhelmed and bites, but I do perhaps think they need a better strategy.
5. we have a pupil profile document, and I am waiting for the SEN D assessment

You could try Chewelry to redirect his biting. A bracelet or something attached to his jumper.

https://www.chewelry.co.uk/

This doesn’t always work if it’s sensory as it’s not the same sensation as biting someone but worth a try

Look at The Incredible 5 point scale resources and speak to the SENCO about them. You can buy a book When My Worries Get too big linked to the scale and lots of colour coded resources online using characters.

If DS would wear them, has the school tried ear defenders?

Do they offer sensory circuits?

Do they offer sensory breaks?

Do they have anyone who can support with things like Zones of Regulation?

If your LA still has them, have they ask the specialist teaching service for advice?

Have they done a walkthrough of the school/classroom to look how they could make the sensory environment of the school better meet DS’s needs?

You might find it helpful to look at some sensory resources such as the Out of Sync Child, this booklet and some of the Occuplaytional Therapist’s resources.

Your point 2 contraindicates your point 1. There’s more to communication skills than being good at school/expressive language ability.

The school should be providing support while you are waiting for the diagnostic assessment because support in school is based on needs rather than diagnosis.

You can think about requesting an EHCNA. On their website, IPSEA has a model letter you can use.

Thank you this is extremely helpful

Thank you, I will take a look