How to stop 16 month old from biting?

Question

It's been about 3 months now that she's biting. Last week, she started biting the other kids at daycare. So this is getting worse, and not better.

At first, we would tell her "No biting" and distract her.

Then we tried removing her from the situation.

For a while, my husband tried biting her back (not hard enough to hurt, of course) but we don't believe in corporal punishment, and anyway it didn't seem to work.

Now I tell her "No biting" and have a long talk with her about how I love her and she is a very sweet girl and biting will not be accepted because it hurts and it's not nice. Then I get her to pat me and say sorry (Well, I say "so, so, Ma" for her because she can't talk yet) and then we hug and make up.

So, that's what we've tried so far. We are patient and consistent with her. I don't know where she gets all this violence and anger. We never yell or fight in front of her. We are very gentle and loving.

What do we do?? Any new ideas??

Answer 1

Give your  child a teether... worked for my little brother

Answer 2

Honestly, I was a biter when I was little. I'd bite my mom a lot.  The ONLY thing that worked for her *and she tried everything*  was to bite me back as hard as I bit her! I was too little to remember, but she said that it was the last time that I ever bit her or anyone!! She had to do the same thing with both of my sisters too, who were bad bitters!

Answer 3

if you bit her then that isn't such a good idea it is teaching her that it is okay.

Answer 4

Let's see now...your husband was biting your daughter but then you tell her "no biting"?  You have confused her.  By your husband biting her she learned that it was OKAY to bite whether you say no biting or not now.  YOU made the problem worse.  I suggest getting her out of day care altogether for the time being and leaving her with a one on one sitter, unless you want to start being responsible for the doctor bills from all the kids your child bites.  Hopefully the day care has informed the parents of the children your daughter bites and has recommended that they take their children to the doctor because the human mouth carries staph bacteria and that staph bacteria is the same bacteria that causes necrotizing fasciitis better known as the "flesh eating disease...

Answer 5

hmmmm. well you can put her in a long(20 min) time out each time she bites. you just need to keep her in the idea that its not ok to bite you can alsokeep her mouth bust with organic cangy,snacks

Answer 6

She’s not doing it to be violent. Most likely kids do this because they can’t find another way to express how they feel or what they’re thinking since they’re not able to talk quite yet. My son went through this stage too and he’s now 20 months old. He has ALL his teeth so if/when he bites, it friggen HURTS! We did all that you have done and tried each and every way and eventually it sort of just phased out.

To be honest, HE got bit at daycare and I think it made him realize that biting isn’t fun when it happens to you.

Is the daycare helping out with this? Doing the same as you do? Our daycare, when my son was biting, would “shadow” my son to make sure he wasn’t doing anything that may lead to biting. So when someone took his toy and they saw him get angry, they’d tell him to use his words and make sure he didn’t bite instead. Yes, these kids are small, but they are smart as can be and soaking up all that you say and do.

I wish you luck! I know how frustrating it can be as the parent of a biter.