10/15/2026
Biting may be distressing for parents and caregivers but it is developmentally very normal in young children. Biting is a very common behavior in toddlers and tends to peak around 13 to 30 months (Solomons & Elardo, 1991). Research suggests that almost 50% of children in childcare may be bitten by another child in a one year period (Garrard, Leland,& Smith, 1988).
Toddlers bite due to frustration, a lack of language skills, testing the boundaries, teething, or a sensory need for oral stimulation.
⭐️ So what should you do as a parent or caregiver when a child bites you or another child? ⭐️
1) Separate the biter from the bitten child and assess the bite for damage
2) Console the child who was bitten first-- to make sure they are not seriously hurt but also to avoid giving negative attention to the child who bit. You are also modeling how to show empathy when someone is hurt.
3) After consoling the victim, firmly and calmly explain to the biter the rule: “No biting others. Biting hurts.”
4) When everyone involved has calmed down, help the biter to identify the emotions that led to biting and what they could have done instead (“You were frustrated when she took your toy. Next time, you could ask her for a turn or ask a grown up for help”). Work with your child on coming up with some alternate strategies that work for them (taking deep breaths, asking for help, going to a calm down space, etc).
5) Try to prevent biting in the future by understanding what caused the biting and stepping in to help the child to use an appropriate strategy to meet their need instead (for example, saying “I need space” or chewing on a teether)
6) Do NOT bite the child to “show them how it feels”. This models aggressive behavior and increases their tendency to bite again in the future.
If you would like to introduce the idea of using coping skills instead of engaging in any type of aggression, check out the following book: “What To Do When You Feel Like Hitting” (available on Amazon and other retailers).
All information provided by Parenting Translator Foundation — parentingtranslator.org
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