What to Do When Your Child Bites Other People

When biting happens, protect everyone first. Calmly separate the child from the person being bitten when necessary and use as few words as possible during the immediate situation. Once things are calm, investigate what tends to happen before biting. Depending on the child and situation, biting may be associated with frustration, sensory needs, difficulty communicating, escaping something uncomfortable, accessing something wanted, or other factors. For some children, oral sensory needs may also play a role. The most useful replacement skill depends on what the biting is accomplishing. A child who bites to escape may need an effective way to request “break” or “all done.” A child struggling to communicate may need speech, gestures, pictures or AAC. A child seeking oral sensory input may need an appropriate individualized sensory alternative. Practice the alternative frequently outside the crisis moment, and reinforce your child’s attempts to use it.