Does your young child bite other children and adults? Don’t worry because you’re not alone.

Children bite others for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it is an expression of frustration or they are feeling threatened or uncomfortable. Sometimes children bite to see the reaction they will get. Many children go through a phase of biting. Intentional biting usually occurs when the child is between 1 and 3 years old. Anyone may be a target—parents, brothers, sisters, grandparents, or other children. Biting is not "cute" and needs to be stopped before it becomes a habit. The following steps should be helpful in stopping unwanted biting.

1. If your child bites you, immediately put him/her down or push him/her away firmly but not roughly.
2. Say in a firm voice, "No biting. That hurts."
3. Don't play with your child or pick him/her up again for a minute or two.
4. If after starting to play again your child continues to bite, try not holding or playing with him/her for about five minutes.
5. If after two or three tries your child is still biting, remove him/her from the room and from you for about five minutes.
6. If your child bites someone else, follow the same steps, remembering to keep your child from returning to play for several minutes. This works best if you move your child away from the other person during this time.
7. Sometimes you can prevent your child from biting by watching for signs of anger or frustration that your child makes before biting. Some children may whine for a toy while others may frown or grab for the toy. If you see any of the signs your child makes before biting, you may be able to prevent the biting by distracting your child with a toy, a game or your voice.
8. Although it might be your first impulse when you are bitten, you should never bite your child back. This may teach your child that biting is acceptable if you are big enough.
9. Be consistent. That is, follow these steps every time, and your child should soon learn not to bite.
10. If your child is still biting regularly after the age of 4 consult with a pediatric counselor

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