When Your Child Bites: How to Reduce or Stop This Behavior

Why Toddlers Bite

Biting is a typical behavior often seen in infants, toddlers, and 2-year olds as a normal part of childhood development. Biting is both common and a normal part of childhood and a way for young children to test limits or express their feelings. Many children show signs of this behavior as early as their first birthday and usually stop biting when they are around 3 years of age.

Very often, a child’s biting behavior is not due to aggression, but rather due to an imbalance of the sensory system and poor self-regulation and impulse control.

Chewing and biting are both sensory activities tapping into the proprioceptive system which registers pressure in the joints of the jaw structure which has a regulating effect on a child’s nervous system. In simple terms, the child bites because they find it soothing.

Developmental factors which may cause a child to bite include:

Babies and toddlers bite for a variety of reasons. Some of the reasons that are commonly seen as the “biting trigger,” are:

Teething (Babies can begin teething at around 5 months of age. Biting on objects or even people helps to ease the discomfort from their tender, swollen, gums)

Exploring a new toy or object with their mouth. This normal developmental process of mouthing, however, is very different from deliberate biting – the child may be “exploring” different textures and associated sensations.

Attention seeking (even if it is negative attention; competing for attention, or not getting what they feel is “enough” attention)

Physically express how they may be feeling

Looking for a reaction (when they begin to understand cause & effect)

Frustration, anger, fear, or insecurity are strong emotional triggers (lack of communication and language skills may have a child biting to express how they are feeling when they cannot find the words, or cannot find them fast enough)

Imitation (after seeing another child bite they may decide to try it themselves. In addition, the exposure to violence or harsh discipline may also promote biting behaviors)

Limited self-regulation or self-control (they are still developing and learning these skills)

Language skills are still developing and biting is simply another way for a child to express how they are feeling at that moment

Sensory overload (biting or any aggressive behavior can happen when a child is overwhelmed or in overload – biting may occur when a child does not know what else to do

Developmental play level (the child may be stressed when they may be at the level of solitary, parallel, or associative play, and the situation they find themselves in may be allowing sharing and cooperative play, or expect turn-taking, when the child is not yet at that level of interaction)

Triggers for Biting Behaviors

Lack of equipment and resources, or developmentally inappropriate materials can be triggers for biting episodes.

Environmental factors which may cause children to bite include:

Congestion in any one area – too many children in too small a space
Competition for toys that are available (or for a favorite toy)
Over-stimulation (too much color, noise, activity)
Under-stimulated / Boredom (limited choice of interesting activity or toy choices)
Over excited (from being in a new setting, from a change in routine, from too many “new” things)
Too many activities to choose from
Limited or no quiet spaces available
Need for increased proprioceptive input and activity
Stress (unfamiliar routine, change in daily routine, new setting, new people, unsure of what will happen)
Limited to no transition time

Tracking Causes for Biting Behaviors

Setting up and keeping a “biting behavior journal” is a good way to track the when, what, why of when biting occurs. Gathering and tracking the information over a couple weeks will give you and the services providers working with your family a base, or foundation, to begin working from.

What you want to keep track of includes:

When does biting behaviors occur (at play, at meals, at bedtime, when transitioning, around specific children or adults, at certain times, and so on). Look for patterns!
Are they teething or demonstrating a need to chew? Have you tried giving them kid-friendly chewable items to meet that need?
Does biting occur after a stimulating activity? After a calm activity? After coming in from playing outside?
Do they seem to have difficulty finding a toy or activity they can play with?
Do they get attention BEFORE they bite?
What do you think they are trying to tell you? What is happening that triggers their biting?
Are the bites more of a playful type of communication? Are they biting too hard due to poor self-awareness and control?
Can they be redirected when (and before) a bite occurs?
Does their biting “calm them” from being overwhelmed?
How are they reacting to the “negative” attention?
Record any patterns you may notice over time.
Put in any observation, thoughts, or ideas you feel would help!

Possible Underlying Issues

If a toddler’s biting behaviors become extreme or persists despite interventions by you and professional service providers, consult the child’s pediatrician to rule out underlying conditions such as an expressive speech delay, sensory processing disorder, or autism spectrum disorder.

Expressive speech delay. Approximately 10% of toddlers are affected by an expressive speech delay where while they are able to process information and understand language, they have not expanded their own vocabulary as quickly as most other kids their age. Children who do not meet these milestones may become frustrated when they are not able to express themselves, resorting to biting as a means of communication.

Sensory processing disorder (SPD). Toddlers with SPD often bite to convey their distress and discomfort in certain environments and specific situations. Children with sensory processing deficits are either under-or-overly sensitive to what they see, hear, smell, or touch.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Autism is a general term for a range of conditions affecting social skills, communication, and behavior. In children who display symptoms on the autism spectrum, biting is not an isolated behavior, but a symptom of a larger issue. Children diagnosed or with suspected autism may present with a delay or lack of social skills, developmental delays, behavioral concerns, or sensory processing issues that often makes it much more difficult for the child to communicate effectively.

OT Ideas, Activities, Relief Strategies for Biting Behaviors

The following ideas and activities can all be used to help support your child in reducing or eliminating their biting behaviors:

Involve others in your plans and endeavors to help stop any biting behaviors – family, friends, services providers, doctors, school personnel, and anyone who may be involved in raising, watching, teaching or caring for your child – this is a TEAM effort!

Provide teething rings, chew toys, a rolled damp cold washcloth, chewelry (chewable jewelry) if pain from teething an issue.

Try foods (as age appropriate, and watch for choking hazards) that require chewing and have crunch. If using food, always be mindful of the child’s food allergies, sensitivities and aversions.

Sore gums (from teething) may respond to “numbing teething gels”

Oral motor exercises and activities to develop coordination, control, self-awareness, motor strength

Provide plenty of oral experiences using games and activities that engage the oral muscles (blow bubbles – start with thin liquids and move up to thick substances, like blowing into a fruity shake through a thin straw - The effort needed to produce bubbles also help to provide strong input to the brain.

Allow independence and control (to a limited degree) where your child begins to feel he has some control over part of the activity, make their own choice (or 2-3 options), let you know what they may like “better.” Biting is an excellent way of demonstrating independence or getting control and power over others, so try to provide for that need in other positive ways.

Encourage the child to develop language skills no matter how simplistic it needs to be. Use picture cards, basic sign language, pointing, one-word communication strategies to start. Make eye contact and use non-verbal communication, body language and signs or signals to re-enforce your words and to model for the child “how to express” what they are trying to relay to you.

Plan activities and game that have a verbal component such as stories, finger plays, and songs. Encourage all attempts the child makes at expressive language. Be aware of the sounds they use to name objects. For children who cannot yet talk, biting is a great alternative. It is often a “physical” rather than expressive communication and they are using biting as an alternative language.

Pretend play that includes growling, mad faces, stomping feet and emotional play to “act out” being frustrated or upset. Talk about things you can do to get rid of those feelings.

Try to balance out the day with some quiet time, alone or privacy time, a quiet space, as well as outdoor or more rough-and-tumble play times.

Check out some of the books on the market that are all about not biting, teeth are not for biting, and other similar themes.

Help with the transition from physical play to quieter activities by using cues, reminders, alerting and countdown to when the routine will change, when the transition will happen.

Try engaging in smaller groups with space between each other.

Think about having soft, soothing and relaxing music playing in the background.

Take some time to talk about and practice some quiet relaxation and “thinking” time.

Try to keep the environment interesting but without over stimulating with color, noise, too many things going on at once. Biting seems to be a form of tension release in “overwhelming” situations.

Have enough play items and activities available so the child does not get “bored” waiting on something to happen. Sometimes a child will bite due to boredom and when they are looking for something to get attention or a reaction.

Provide a variety of jumping, pushing, lifting and “heavy work” activities throughout the day. Activities that provide strong input on the child’s joint receptors help to decrease the need to chew and bite.

Try to have enough items (and options) in place so that they do not have to wait their turn if this is a trigger for them.

Check that the child actually eats at meal and snack times. A child may display biting behaviors just because they are hungry or thirsty.

Try to be alert for and track times of frustration. A child can easily become frustrated for any number of reasons (too much, too little, not enough room, an activity to hard or challenging, sensory overload, etc.) and not be able to communicate those feelings except to react by biting.

Work to develop the ability to “take turns,” starting simple and for 1-2 seconds at a time and then building from there.

Set and explain limits or simple rules for playtime. Be consistent!

Most children do like attention in some form or another. It may not be physical hugs, but just acknowledgment that they are “doing a good job” or “playing nicely,” or “helping out.” Some children may not care if the attention is positive or negative – it is attention! Negative behaviors often get immediate attention and this may help to reinforce the biting behaviors.

Check for possible new anxieties or stressors in a child’s life (change in routine at home, new home, visitors, new baby, and so on) and try to provide some “comfort zone time.” Using a soft blanket, weighted blanket or stuffed animals, calming activities like water or sand play (if this is a calming activity for the child). Young children often use biting as a way to communicate or to release their feelings of anxiety, tension or insecurity.

Biting is a form of oral sensory-motor exploration, so provide lots of sensory experiences with a variety of surface textures such as hard, soft, rough, and smooth. Use oral activities that include food (textures, color, flavors)

Provide sufficient material/equipment, including duplicates, to enable parallel play. Encourage and re-enforce parallel play.

Introduce activities such as songs, games, activities, with hand holding, buddy pairs with introductions and hellos to promote appropriate early social interaction.

Encourage appropriate social interaction including sharing toys, hugging, smiling, and model appropriate behaviors.

Try rewarding positive behaviors. Children over the age of three often respond well to rewards, such as a no-hitting chart. Every day they do not bite (or hit, or throw items) they get a star or happy-face on their chart. For every 3 or 4 stars/happy faces they are rewarded with a specific reward. Keep rewards simple. Going for a walk with you, getting to pick a favorite video/movie, and other activities that they may enjoy.

Stop all forms of play-biting at home. Nibbling on your child’s fingers and toes can send mixed messages, teaching your child that biting can be both fun and a way to express affection. A toddler is not yet able to distinguish between a bite that’s acceptable and one that’s not.

Another trusty preventive technique is distraction: Small children will often forget they’re angry or frustrated if you just redirect them — and praise them for participating in new activities

Rather than using the term “time-out,” try saying, “When you bite, you will have to miss out on some play time and think about how you hurt your friend/ or how your biting hurts.” Generally, time-out’s or “sit-out’s” are 1-minute for each year of age – so a three-year old would “lose playtime or sit-out from play” for 3-minutes.

Remember to stay tuned to your child's tolerance level. Try to redirect their attention or encourage a different activity if your child seems to be getting overstimulated or frustrated.

Strive to keep your child’s schedule, routines, and transitions predictable and consistent.

Teach them some other tools, like hugging a stuffed animal or punching a pillow, as a way to express their frustration.

After the Bite

If the biter is older than 2, you might also encourage and help the child comfort the victim, talking about how the biter might feel if that happened to them. An adult should always be present to ensure the victim’s safety and to keep the experience a positive learning experience.

Pay close attention to biting circumstances in order to pinpoint what specifically seems to trigger bites; other children grabbing toys, or the chaos and noise levels. Once you know what may prompt the biting behavior, you can step in to ease the tension, make changes, and redirect, before a bite occurs.

A child should be evaluated by a doctor if biting:

Is frequent and continues despite attempts to control the behavior
Occurs after 3 years of age
Occurs in a variety of settings
Injures others with repeated biting behaviors
Occurs out of general anger and/or aggression instead of frustration or wanting a specific item or object
Occurs with other aggressive behaviors, such as hurting pets and other animals

As a Final Note:

Try to remember that a child who bites is sending a loud message about their boundaries, nervous system and their needs. Look at the biting behavior as a form of communication, so that everyone involved can address the underlying issues that make a child bite themselves or others.

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When Your Child Bites: How to Reduce or Stop This Behavior

Why Toddlers Bite

Very often, a child’s biting behavior is not due to aggression, but rather due to an imbalance of the sensory system and poor self-regulation and impulse control.

Chewing and biting are both sensory activities tapping into the proprioceptive system which registers pressure in the joints of the jaw structure which has a regulating effect on a child’s nervous system. In simple terms, the child bites because they find it soothing.

Developmental factors which may cause a child to bite include:

Babies and toddlers bite for a variety of reasons. Some of the reasons that are commonly seen as the “biting trigger,” are:

Teething (Babies can begin teething at around 5 months of age. Biting on objects or even people helps to ease the discomfort from their tender, swollen, gums)

Exploring a new toy or object with their mouth. This normal developmental process of mouthing, however, is very different from deliberate biting – the child may be “exploring” different textures and associated sensations.

Attention seeking (even if it is negative attention; competing for attention, or not getting what they feel is “enough” attention)

Physically express how they may be feeling

Looking for a reaction (when they begin to understand cause & effect)

Frustration, anger, fear, or insecurity are strong emotional triggers (lack of communication and language skills may have a child biting to express how they are feeling when they cannot find the words, or cannot find them fast enough)

Imitation (after seeing another child bite they may decide to try it themselves. In addition, the exposure to violence or harsh discipline may also promote biting behaviors)

Limited self-regulation or self-control (they are still developing and learning these skills)

Language skills are still developing and biting is simply another way for a child to express how they are feeling at that moment

Sensory overload (biting or any aggressive behavior can happen when a child is overwhelmed or in overload – biting may occur when a child does not know what else to do

Developmental play level (the child may be stressed when they may be at the level of solitary, parallel, or associative play, and the situation they find themselves in may be allowing sharing and cooperative play, or expect turn-taking, when the child is not yet at that level of interaction)

Triggers for Biting Behaviors

Lack of equipment and resources, or developmentally inappropriate materials can be triggers for biting episodes.

Environmental factors which may cause children to bite include:

Congestion in any one area – too many children in too small a space

Competition for toys that are available (or for a favorite toy)

Over-stimulation (too much color, noise, activity)

Under-stimulated / Boredom (limited choice of interesting activity or toy choices)

Over excited (from being in a new setting, from a change in routine, from too many “new” things)

Too many activities to choose from

Limited or no quiet spaces available

Need for increased proprioceptive input and activity

Stress (unfamiliar routine, change in daily routine, new setting, new people, unsure of what will happen)

Limited to no transition time

Tracking Causes for Biting Behaviors

Setting up and keeping a “biting behavior journal” is a good way to track the when, what, why of when biting occurs. Gathering and tracking the information over a couple weeks will give you and the services providers working with your family a base, or foundation, to begin working from.

What you want to keep track of includes:

When does biting behaviors occur (at play, at meals, at bedtime, when transitioning, around specific children or adults, at certain times, and so on). Look for patterns!

Are they teething or demonstrating a need to chew? Have you tried giving them kid-friendly chewable items to meet that need?

Does biting occur after a stimulating activity? After a calm activity? After coming in from playing outside?

Do they seem to have difficulty finding a toy or activity they can play with?

Do they get attention BEFORE they bite?

What do you think they are trying to tell you? What is happening that triggers their biting?

Are the bites more of a playful type of communication? Are they biting too hard due to poor self-awareness and control?

Can they be redirected when (and before) a bite occurs?

Does their biting “calm them” from being overwhelmed?

How are they reacting to the “negative” attention?

Record any patterns you may notice over time.

Put in any observation, thoughts, or ideas you feel would help!

Possible Underlying Issues

If a toddler’s biting behaviors become extreme or persists despite interventions by you and professional service providers, consult the child’s pediatrician to rule out underlying conditions such as an expressive speech delay, sensory processing disorder, or autism spectrum disorder.

Sensory processing disorder (SPD). Toddlers with SPD often bite to convey their distress and discomfort in certain environments and specific situations. Children with sensory processing deficits are either under-or-overly sensitive to what they see, hear, smell, or touch.

OT Ideas, Activities, Relief Strategies for Biting Behaviors

The following ideas and activities can all be used to help support your child in reducing or eliminating their biting behaviors:

Involve others in your plans and endeavors to help stop any biting behaviors – family, friends, services providers, doctors, school personnel, and anyone who may be involved in raising, watching, teaching or caring for your child – this is a TEAM effort!

Provide teething rings, chew toys, a rolled damp cold washcloth, chewelry (chewable jewelry) if pain from teething an issue.

Try foods (as age appropriate, and watch for choking hazards) that require chewing and have crunch. If using food, always be mindful of the child’s food allergies, sensitivities and aversions.

Sore gums (from teething) may respond to “numbing teething gels”

Oral motor exercises and activities to develop coordination, control, self-awareness, motor strength

Pretend play that includes growling, mad faces, stomping feet and emotional play to “act out” being frustrated or upset. Talk about things you can do to get rid of those feelings.

Try to balance out the day with some quiet time, alone or privacy time, a quiet space, as well as outdoor or more rough-and-tumble play times.

Check out some of the books on the market that are all about not biting, teeth are not for biting, and other similar themes.

Help with the transition from physical play to quieter activities by using cues, reminders, alerting and countdown to when the routine will change, when the transition will happen.

Try engaging in smaller groups with space between each other.

Think about having soft, soothing and relaxing music playing in the background.

Take some time to talk about and practice some quiet relaxation and “thinking” time.

Try to keep the environment interesting but without over stimulating with color, noise, too many things going on at once. Biting seems to be a form of tension release in “overwhelming” situations.

Have enough play items and activities available so the child does not get “bored” waiting on something to happen. Sometimes a child will bite due to boredom and when they are looking for something to get attention or a reaction.

Provide a variety of jumping, pushing, lifting and “heavy work” activities throughout the day. Activities that provide strong input on the child’s joint receptors help to decrease the need to chew and bite.

Try to have enough items (and options) in place so that they do not have to wait their turn if this is a trigger for them.

Check that the child actually eats at meal and snack times. A child may display biting behaviors just because they are hungry or thirsty.

Try to be alert for and track times of frustration. A child can easily become frustrated for any number of reasons (too much, too little, not enough room, an activity to hard or challenging, sensory overload, etc.) and not be able to communicate those feelings except to react by biting.

Work to develop the ability to “take turns,” starting simple and for 1-2 seconds at a time and then building from there.

Set and explain limits or simple rules for playtime. Be consistent!

Biting is a form of oral sensory-motor exploration, so provide lots of sensory experiences with a variety of surface textures such as hard, soft, rough, and smooth. Use oral activities that include food (textures, color, flavors)

Provide sufficient material/equipment, including duplicates, to enable parallel play. Encourage and re-enforce parallel play.

Introduce activities such as songs, games, activities, with hand holding, buddy pairs with introductions and hellos to promote appropriate early social interaction.

Encourage appropriate social interaction including sharing toys, hugging, smiling, and model appropriate behaviors.

Stop all forms of play-biting at home. Nibbling on your child’s fingers and toes can send mixed messages, teaching your child that biting can be both fun and a way to express affection. A toddler is not yet able to distinguish between a bite that’s acceptable and one that’s not.

Another trusty preventive technique is distraction: Small children will often forget they’re angry or frustrated if you just redirect them — and praise them for participating in new activities

Remember to stay tuned to your child's tolerance level. Try to redirect their attention or encourage a different activity if your child seems to be getting overstimulated or frustrated.

Strive to keep your child’s schedule, routines, and transitions predictable and consistent.

Teach them some other tools, like hugging a stuffed animal or punching a pillow, as a way to express their frustration.

After the Bite

Linkedin: Judy @ TheraPlay4Kids