6yr old biting child at school

[tczelda]

My 6yr old son (first grader) bit a girl classmate while waiting in line for lunch.  He says he bit her because he was mad but gave no reason for the anger.  He bit children when he was a toddler/preschooler, but no biting behavior in well over two years.  He is extremely verbal, extremely intelligent.  He does not demonstrate aggressive behavior normally, but is overly sensitive about perceived teasing/taunting.  There is no agression history with this child.  He has some Sensory Integration Dysfunction issues, but self-directed (throwing self on floor, touching compulsion).  When we spoke to him, he had "pat" answers of being sorry and never do it again.  Didn't feel he fully understood actions, just that he was sorry he was in trouble.  What discipline is appropriate?  How do we get through to him?  How do we ensure that he does not repeat this inappropriate conduct?  Does he need anger management counseling even though this is an isolated incident?

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

Re: discipline, you might impose some restriction from a favored activity for a couple of days, and also insist that he do something nice for the child he bit. Obviously you can't guarantee there won't be another episode, but your clear rejection of this behavior will help. There's no need to overreact to a single episode, so I'd be careful not to act in a disproportionate way. There's no need to seek any specialized therapy for him, but it certainly makes sense to speak with him about different ways he can express his anger or dissatisfaction, ways that will respect other people's safety.