Seeking Advice for Toddler!!!

Dear Mommy of One,

You are not the only one with a biter! Lots of children bite for many reasons.

Do you have "chew toys"? Just like every living thing with teeth, children need to breakin thier teeth. Having a "good place" to bite is necessary...we bite our food and "this thing". What this thing is differs according to culture and life...a rope, a specific toy, a stuffed elephant with a nose, a mesh bagt with crushed ice inside. One of my friends has a dog chew toy for her daughter specifically for the reason that if she wants to bite someone find the bone!

You re brave for stepping up and wanting to deal with it. when you say no, don't smile or smirk. Lower your tone so your precious child knows that you are serious. Usually, at 21 months, children want to please thier parents.

Another idea might be to try teething biscuits and/ or vegetables that crunch...celery, carrots, some LLL might recommend dog bones or even wood. Keep your pediatrician up to date.

Hugs to you! Keep yourself focused on all that you are doing right!

With hope and joy,
K.

A lot of toddlers bite......it is their way of exploring their enviroment. But i can totally understnad the frustration for you. Is he talking yet.....that is pretty frequent, meaning that the biting will lessen as the language grows. One thing that worked for my son when he was a toddler was the doctor told me to use breath spray. You were to put a small squirt on his tongue when he bit. Though the minty flavor tastes good to adults it does Not taste good to little ones. (the one draw back i have found to that advice is that my guy is now 9 and he still HATES mint flavored things .....like toothpaste! UGH :)
I only had to "squirt" the spray on two occassions and that was the last of his biting!

Good luck

A nurse neighbor of mine recommended giving the biting child a tsp of Apple Cider Vinegar. It is like washing their mouths out w/ soap & water, only it won't upset their system. My son was a biter and I tried this and it works very well. It is a good punishment; the kids hate the taste! Good luck.

Hi Maria,

I am currently reading a book on discovering allergies in children called "Is this your child?" by Dr. Doris Rapp. She specifically mentions behavior problems in toddlers can be triggered by allergies. Biting is a behavioral characteristic of an allergic toddler. I would recommend you read the book but also start writing down what he has eaten, smelled or touched prior to one of these episodes. Specifically look for artificial food coloring, artificial flavors, dairy, wheat, corn, eggs, sugar. Did you clean? What products did you use? Some children can be very sensitive to chemicals. The fact that nothing you are doing seems to phase him makes me think it is something that he doesn't have control over. I think you would find the book I mentioned very helpful. I would be happy to send you a booklet that I have called Healthy Kids which has some heartwarming stories of kids with health and behavioral problems who were helped by nutritional supplementation.