My Child Gets Bitten at Daycare - Any Suggestions?

Updated on December 09, 2008
B. asks from Madison, MS
22 answers

My son (15 mo) gets bitten everyday, sometimes several times a day, by the other children. He is not biting back (yet) and I don't want him to learn that behavior. Any suggestions? I'd love to coat him down in something that would taste bad, but not be bad for his skin. Something like mosquito spray - but longer lasting and without chemicals, so that it's safe to ingest.

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So What Happened?

Final update - Situation resolved! Thank you all so much for your support. My son is still happily enjoying this daycare and is no longer being eaten alive.
Thank you!

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M.

answers from Savannah on

Oh honey, you are preaching to the choir! I have no clue what to do. My son has always been on the receiving end of bites too. And never by the same child. I think my kid is a toy snatcher but I don't know. Let me know what YOU find out! The bug spray is a really good idea though! I'm going to try that!

By the way, if he continues getting bit, you should really complain to the teacher and then to the director. They may not be watching them closely enough

1 mom found this helpful
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K.M.

answers from Boston on

YOu can try bitter apple or phooey spray from the pet store! :-)Both are completely safe..the phooey spray tastes awful. My husband put some on his lips and gave me a kiss with it!

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L.A.

answers from Atlanta on

When my son was about 11 mo.old we had the same problem at a daycare he was in. You need to notify his teacher and demand that something be done. I'm sure the other children have had immunizations if they are in daycare but you still need to check on that and request that either your son or the other children be moved to another room. It seems innocent and like "kid" behavior but it is painful for your son and can make him fearful of other seemingly safe places like daycare. While I understand your want to make him less appetizing to the other children, it is the facilities responsibility to protect your son while he is in their care. I'm sorry if I sound like I'm ranting but I know how it feels to have your child bitten and I hope you and your daycare can find a working solution. Don't be afraid to stand up and demand that your son be safe when his away from you. Best Wishes

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K.X.

answers from Birmingham on

I would ask the director what is going to be done to aleviate this behavior from the other children, since they are the problem. I had the same problem at that age and changed daycares after being told that the biter's family had been warned but that there was nothing they could do about it. At the new center this was not a problem, and my child was never biten there.

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E.J.

answers from Atlanta on

It really sounds like you need to find yourself another day care to be quite honest with you. One time or maybe twice is understandable but everyday is unacceptable. Get your child out of there and Good luck!

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P.

answers from Biloxi on

I had the same problem! I had to check him everyday before I walked out of the daycare! Every time I found a bite mark I immediately asked what happened. They were supposed to have an "ouch report" anytime a child was hurt. After a couple of times, I went to the director and spoke with her. It turned out that the worker who was in the room with him had her child in there and he was the biter. The child had to stop attending after many chances. I just had to point it out over and over! I didn't go in screaming and yelling but was very persistent! Once the child was removed I didn't have ay more bitemarks on my child. Thank goodness!
Also they made sure anytime he was hurt going foward I had an ouch report!

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K.P.

answers from St. Louis on

B.-
Have you spoken to the director? What is their action plan to get the kid(s) biting to stop. If they are not trying to stop this behavior, it won't. I would seek another daycare ASAP and stay home with your child until you find one.

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M.R.

answers from Atlanta on

My son was bitten regularly at daycare as well. You can ask the daycare teachers/director to keep a close watch on your child and keep away any children that are known biters. If that doesn't solve the problem, you should change daycares. I did and I am happy where he is now. I don't have to worry about him all day!!!

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P.

answers from Columbus on

What is wrong with your daycare that THEY do not take care of it. My son is not in daycare, but my neighbor has her 2 children in daycare. she said that in our town, if a child continues to bite, the biter will be kicked out. Talk to the daycare. Do they have any safety policies? What are they doing about the biting? If all else fails, check witht he health dept. ask them about daycare policies.

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N.A.

answers from Jackson on

I was just wondering what daycare he is going to and how they are letting him get bit all the time??

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M.K.

answers from Atlanta on

Yeah, the center should have a policy that if it happens that much something is to be done about it. My daughter was the victum of the same thing and I firmly agree w/ all the others below that you need to look at the staff and talk to the director! If I can offer any advise/comments - my daughter does not bite (knock on wood) from this ;)
Good Luck!
M.

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B.A.

answers from Huntsville on

i think the daycare has some explaining to do... If they can't control the other kids, you need to move your son to another care provider.

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M.W.

answers from Atlanta on

I would have to question the staff in the room as to the amount of supervision the children are getting. Genrally, centers have policies in place for situation like this. My son was coming home with bites, and after a staff change to his room it was no longer a problem. Talk to the director of the facility if you need to get some answers.

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B.R.

answers from Savannah on

B.,
As a Childcare Director, I suggest you go to the director and make sure they get to the bottom of this. I am shaking my head here, Is your child being bit by the same child everyday? If so this issue should be resolved. As a mother, I would be very upset also. I could understand once MAYBE twice but more than that, theres a problem somewhere.

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A.

answers from Nashville on

Sorry to hear that your child is getting bit so often. As a childcare worker in the field for more than 15 years, the child/children that bit like that are often asked to leave the center. As a parent of 3 small kids, i would remove my child from the center to another one for his/her safety.

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R.R.

answers from Atlanta on

I agree with everyone else that has responded. That does not sound like a good child care center. The one my son attended had a policy in line for that and if the same child got caught doing it too many times they would ask the child to leave the center. It does sound like you need to look into other means of child care. Please do not put anything on your child to prevent another child from biting him, just move to another center or provider.

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L.W.

answers from Atlanta on

I feel sympathy for your child, but also for the parents of the biter. As a past director of a day care, we had a biter, that bit really hard, that we eventually had to remove. Better to remove the biter, than loose a lot of paying customers. Since breaking the biting is a slow process, sometimes.I know this is just a phase that some children go through and eventually outgrow. But also in some instances, children that are bitten, will begin to bite as well. I have learned in the past that when a biter is bitten back, it begins to click in that he is inflicting pain on someone. I personally like to get down to the child's level and look them in the eyes and say in a very firm tone that biting or hitting hurts and it makes a boo-boo and request them to tell the child they are sorry. This will help them to learn remorse.
Mom Again-L.

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A.B.

answers from Knoxville on

I would talk with the director and see what their policy is on bitting. My daycare has a "three strikes you out" rule. Once a child bites three times within a week the parent has to take them out until the bitting issue is resolved. I would push the issue that they talk to the other child's parents and tell them if they don't see an improvement that something else will be done. That is totally unfair to other children to let the same children do those things to the inocent kids over and over again.

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T.

answers from Savannah on

If it is more than 3 different occasions, okay i'll be lenient if it is more than 3 times a week oh my gosh take him out of that daycare! The daycare should be on top of the biting child to stop him from biting and watching your son so he isn't being bitten. That is just ridiculous. If they are not watching them while your child is being bitten when else aren't they watching him? Yucky! I suggest taking him somewhere else, ANYWHERE else~! Good luck!

Sincerely,
Tamara Muehlbauer
Home Sweet Home Child Care
located in Westbury Park!
www.geocities.com/homesweethomecc
____@____.com

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T.

answers from Birmingham on

Hey B., I am not glad your child is getting bites, but I no longer feel alone. I have two daughters and we have been through the biting stages. I use to get so upset with the teachers, because I understand the first bite- but after that I feel the teacher should know the biters and they should watch them closer. I pay for child care services and I feel that they should do their job. I can leave two children alone with no supervision if I wanted them to bite each other up. Anyway, with my first daughter I taught her to bite back and she went to daycare and bit the wrong child. I felt so bad. With my second child I just stayed on the teacher to be more attentive.

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S.

answers from Atlanta on

I use Bert's Bee's - i think it is safe.

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R.T.

answers from Florence on

Dear B. -

I find it outrageous that the daycare doesn't help you resolve this situation by removing a child from play when he bites and talking to the child's parents about it. If the teachers at the daycare are not taking biting seriously then I would suggest that you look around for another daycare and discuss with them how they handle biting. My pediatrician says that biting is a learned behavior. Good luck!

R.

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