Biting 2 1/2 Year Old... HELP!!!

I tried the 'talking' approach but it didn't work. What i started doing is putting the child in a playpen and giving him toys. I told him that if he wasn't going to play nice with the other kids that he would have to play by himself. 2 days and he was done with biting! May not work for you but it is worth a shot!

Biting as in others? or himself?

If this is biting himself, you might suggest a few things to your friend. feel free to drop me a line off list. (____@____.com)

This could very well be an autistic type reaction. and the "standard" ways of dealing with it won't work. (Time outs, negative reinforcement -- which are mostly what you mentioned -- hot sauce, sour, etc). THey're not going to respond to adverse stimulus, because it's not avoiding what they're after...Biting could very well be something else. (Self Injurer at an early age -- they find pleasure in it-- no fault to the parents) and at times you have to understand you can't change this, just adapt enviroments, to avoid injuring others. - There may be no direct solution to it, they find pleasure in this activity, for some reason or another, and you may or may not be feeding into it, by trying to stop it. really depends on the situation.

H.R. "Roach" Crystal

My cousin had the same problem. She used chloroseptic spray on her daughter. It took two or three times of getting sprayed with it for her to stop. I would try it.

Biting at this age is normal. Usually the child is expressing his anger or frustration. Try to teach him other ways to deal with his emotions. Putting him in a play pen or in some other way provide a structured secure place in which to calm down does help. My sons Day Care worker uses "get into the playpen until I tell you to get out." It's like a timeout. I've been there several times when she's used it. Her voice is calm. She tells them why she's putting them there and when it's time to get out she asks them to "correct" the event that caused the time out. If it's biting, tell the person that you're sorry. If its for throwing a toy, go pick it up and put it away. She uses a stern tone of voice during this process and then when they've done the making it right part she gives them a hug and talks with them kindly. I've seen kids jump into the playpen with just a look from her. She is consistent. She'll stop a conversation with me to enact the process when she sees something out of the corner of her eye.

The sides of the playpen provide a recognizable boundary. And her using this one form of discipline for all misbehaviours consistently seems to teach the child quickly.

Being in the play pen is not punishment. Doesn't feel that way to me. It's discipline. and what you want to teach the biter is how to control his need to bite.

I've also heard of teaching them to jump up and down, running across the room or doing anything physical to work off his feelings. Tell the child, I see that you're angry. Let's work off the energy that being angry gives you and send them running across the room if there's space for that. Jumping jacks would work too.

The good thing about biting is that it stops. It seems to be a stage that many children go thru. The important thing is to teach the child an alternative way to handle his feelings. Using hot sauce or any other way that punishes without teaching alternatives may stop the biting. But he's left with still not know what to do with his feelings. He may not bite but he may start hitting or grabbing toys. The feelings are still
there and need to be managed.

I was told to bite my son.. by several people probably 5 or 6... mind you I am a child development major.. I know what's developmentally appropriate and what not.. but seriously.. we tried guidance... yada yada yada...

I finally bit him back a couple of times and that was the end of his biting.. he found other ways to make the children leave him alone or leave his toy alone but biting wasn't an option and he got the message. I felt terrible.. I didn't want to do it but it had to stop.. I'd do it again if I have to..

When I bit him, I made him look at the bite I gave him on his arm and sternly told him that hurts! biting hurts!! NOOO biting!!.. I was very stern. He finally got the message.
good luck..

My oldest son went through this BRIEFLY. I put a stop to it by biting him back and hard (no marks left, just enough to hurt). I know the logic doesn't seem to apply but if they don't know what it feels like then they don't understand what it feels like for others. I was very stern and said "no biting" and it worked beautifully for me. If my 9 month old goes through that phase I'll do the same thing again because I swear it works. They have to understand what it feels like and if the biting them back doesn't work by itself then use a time out and hot sauce as well if necessary. He'll get it as soon as he understands the pain himself.

Good Luck.
T.