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Biting Solutions
September 10, 2009
Defining play has always seemed to me like explaining a joke. Analyzing it takes the joy out of it.
-Stuart Brown
In her Exchange article, "All about Biting," that can be found at www.ChildCareExchange.com, Linda Crisalli describes a wide range of environmental, nutritional, medical, and educational solutions to the common challenge of biting.  She introduces her suggestions with the following...

"As directors of early learning programs, we have to deal with a myriad of issues on a daily basis.  One of the more frustrating things that come up from time to time is biting.  Biting is particularly problematic because it tends to elicit such a strong response from caregivers, parents, and other children.  Those new little teeth are sharp, and biting really hurts.  Most young children have scratches and bruises most of the time which come and go without much concern, but bite marks are something else altogether because they are so easily recognizable.  If a human bite breaks the skin, there are all the risks inherent with exposure to body fluids.     

"Biting is a stage that many young children go through, and like other types of challenging behavior, it is often assumed that the child is by definition angry or frustrated.  There are actually many different reasons why children bite, and with enough information, the problem can often be easily addressed.  The first step is to reassure the staff, parents, and children who are likely to be complaining about the biting that you acknowledge that there is a problem and you are addressing it, while taking care not to disclose confidential information."



Exchange is proud to offer a video product, Facing the Challenge, that provides insights from experts in the field on why children engage in challenging behaviors and what teachers can do when such behaviors occur in their classrooms.  Facing the Challenge is an instructional, interactive DVD designed to help teachers learn how to prevent children’s use of difficult behaviors and develop intervention strategies to work with children who use challenging behaviors to meet their needs.  Check out a video sample.  The product has two DVDs with the following content:
  • What is Challenging Behavior?
  • Developmentally Appropriate Behavior
  • Why do Kids Misbehave?
  • Parents as Partners
  • Skill Development Study #1
  • Prevention Strategies
  • Behavioral Planning I
  • Behavioral Planning II
  • Intervention Strategies
  • Skill Development Study #2

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Comments (3)

Displaying All 3 Comments
Nettie Becker · September 15, 2009
Mental health consultant
Rockville Centre, New York, United States


As a dance movement therapist I have been able to understand developmentally why young children bite. The need to bite is developmentally appropriate for young children when they are in the oral aggressive stage. They are teething and biting, chewing, grasping, releasing, patting, and tapping help make them feel better. When children can bite into hard food it can compensate for biting humans. I also find that they can pull on objects with enough strength to satisfy their aggression this also helps.

geeta bhatt · September 14, 2009
the grand child care center
chicago, IL, United States


In 20years of our daycare center history there has been nly a very few occasions when we felt helpless... one was when a 2 year old child - with a beautiful innocent smile - was
bitting the othr child not realizing the difference between kiss and the bite... I remember; we tried our very best: but in the end- within less than a week - we had to let go this child ! It was many years ago.. but even Today I don't have a solution...
Geeta Bhatt, Director ,G.C.C.C.

Lois · September 10, 2009
United States


Appreciate the timely article on biting and the explanations for various reactions by staff and parents. Very helpful!



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