My 10 month old has started biting when he wants to get attention or wants you to help him stand or be picked up. When I tell him that it hurts and biting isnt nice in a stern way, he giggles because, I think, he is not used to me being stern. Has anyone else dealt with this? And, if so, how did you discourage the baby from biting. Any adivce would be very much appreciated.
Thanks!
i "tap" my sons mouth and tell him NO in a stern way. it seems to help. dont know if you are doing this but dont do what he wants when he bites. cause then he'll think thats the right way to do it
S.,
I think you and I are in the same boat. My 11 month old little guy has been biting for several months now and he has teeth, all 8 of his front teeth. I think in the beginning he was biting just to help releave the pressure from his teeth coming in. I asked everybody what I could do to stop him and I got all sorts of responses from holding his lips together to biting him back. I even asked the pediatrician what to do and he said to very firmly tell him No biting and then ignore him for a few moments so that he understands he will not get attention from biting. I tried some of them and he would laugh at me and others I felt he was to young to start those techniques. But last night things changed and my sweet adorable baby boy bit me because he was mad that I took something away from him. I looked at him and firmly said NO BITING and put him on the floor and turned away from him. I don't know if that got through to him or not. He cried but he was crying before that it just made him cry harder. One thing my mom did which I know works but I think my baby is a little young to start doing with him was she would make the biter bite themselves and that seemed to do the trick. Good luck and I truly believe that whatever you choose to do, stick with it and the issue will go away.
Say in a stern voice, "NO BITING!", then set the child down (if in a safe place), and walk a few steps away with your back to him. He'll get the picture soon enough.
After my cousin biting my brother and drawing bloood my aunt was at her wits end. My cousin was about to be thrown out of daycare because he was biting and she couldn't get him to stop....so the last straw was biting my brother. So she bit him back. She told him very sternly it hurt ...see it hurts...you don't bite. He never bit anyone again.
So when my oldest bit me, I bit her back...just enough to make her eyes wide. Nothing serious. She never did it again.
When my second child bit the little girl I watch...I bit her back and told her it hurts...see it hurts...you don't bite. She never did it again. She would open her mouth and you could see she wanted to, but she wouldn't do it.
Don't bite hard to make marks or draw blood or anything. Just bite down enough to get wide eyes and tell him very sternly that it hurts...don't bite...no biting!!! He will cry and act like you killed him. You will probably have to walk away so you don't cry. Let him cry a bit and then go sit with him and tell him that it hurts to bite and keep telling him no biting. He will be fine. He won't be traumatized. He won't turn out to be a serial killer or something. He will love you just as much and he will know full well that it hurts to bite and he will stop.
Congrats on the 10 month old and your new addition JULY will be here before you know it :)
There is a great article about "BITING" in this months copy of the Parenting magazine. It has great advice. I would check that out if the other strategies that others have mentioned don't work.
I used to be a child care teacher in an infant classroom and had to deal with biting on more than one occasion. The time out thing is a good idea but another thing that you can do that has been effective for me is to give them someting they can bit down on. A teething ring, a snack even. Exlain that our mouths are not for biting and give them an alternative. Teething is a common reason but also it is a form of communicaton. The lack of vocabulary is very frusterasting to them and they are doing what they know will get attention and to express how they are feeling. The most important is to be consistant and to let them know that it is not acceptable behavior. Redirection of negative behavior by giving them some thing they ARE allowed to do is very effevtive from infancy on.
My daughter is the same age and doing things like slapping...but at 10 months we can only be consistent--this is how they will eventually learn. However, the concept of "no" they don't grasp for at least a few months. It's all part of exploration, he is not being mean or trying to hurt at this young age. Hang in there, and just keep firmly correcting his actions, as I will too!
Stop the baby immediately after the biting.
Look him in the eye and sternly say "no biting".
Hold him in your lap for 1 minute as a time out. He may not understand that concept of "time out" but he will definitely begin to link the 'biting' with the 'removal from fun activity'.
When the time out is done, repeat "Biting hurts. We don't bite."
Whatever you choose to do, be consistent. At first it might take several rounds of time out to get him to link the two events.
S.
My second child was a biter I tried everything. Time outs, giving something to eat or chew on, remove them from the scene,Firmly telling no, . It all depends on the situation and your child's mood at the time as to which one will work best for him. Good luck his communication skills will get better and this will pass.
J. O
