I think I have a biter

When I picked Jacob up from daycare on day last week, he got a disciplinary write up for biting another child.  He has done this to me a couple times before then and since then.  When I tell him know, he thinks it is a game and starts laughing and trying to bite me again.  

Anybody dealt with this? What did you do? What age was it?  Jacob just turned 1.  Any advice is welcome!!

[waitingwithhope]

What has worked for me in the past, is to try one of the following:
1. Distraction, distraction, distraction
2. Figure out what proceeds the biting, sometimes it is because they are tired or bored or just wanting to play (then you might be able to distract it or solve the other issue first)
3. Don't make a big deal out of it. Say "ouch, biting hurts" in a serious tone and then quickly move onto something else more exciting.
4. Give him something that he can bite to his heart's content if he needs to...like Sophie the Giraffe (at Baby's R Us) or give him a bagel to chew on. They can learn to associate the bite with the object.

Usually with my kids, they bit when they were bored and just wanted to play or they were over stimulated and were needing time to wind down and could not tell me. I also taught them to sign things--so that they could tell me what was going on or what they needed. Even at his age, he can learn simple signs. It is possible he is trying to communicate and is frustrated.

Don't stress..if he senses you are stressed or that you are frustrated, the reaction might fuel him to do it over and over again. Kids are funny that way.

best of luck!!

[tiredbuthappy]

biting happens at this age. everything waitingwithhope said is good and accurate, so i won't reiterate.

I want to emphasize that chances are nothing you do at home will change whether or not he bites at school. He's too young for time out and discussions on biting. Handle it at home as waiting said. At school they should be used to dealing with biters. Every toddler class experiences it at least once a year. The best thing they can do is prevent it.

Before I had my own class, I floated/subbed in all the rooms. The rooms that had the most problems with biting were the classes that sat all the kids together on the floor and put out a couple of toys for the kids to play with. That's asking for trouble! They should spread the kids out and engage them. They need lots of physical outlets. They need lots of sensory activities like fingerpainting, water play, etc... There should be music and dancing. Of course, even in the most ideal classroom biting may happen. But there are ways to lessen the likelihood.

[Tanker Chic]

Thanks you guys. That is great advice.  I don't think he does it out of meanness... I think he thinks it is a game or it starts off as he wants to kiss me back but once he gets his mouth on me, he decides to take a bite.  

I think distractions are the way to go!!  

[Annice1234]

just wanted to say good luck!  :)  i have a biter...
it got better for a month but started  again last week..i think bc little brother is home...
the girls have good advice..i asked for help on here a while ago

[GRose]

I am not condoning this behavior but I was a biter when I was little and the way my mom got me to stop was by biting me. She caught me biting my friend and she grabbed my hand and bite me, I never did it again.