Why Is My Toddler Biting — and How Can I Stop It?
Discover the truth about questions that pique your curiosity in our Short Answer series. Child psychologist Kate Eshleman, Psy.D., answers this one.
A: If your toddler is biting other children, play dates can quickly go south. But it doesn’t necessarily mean your child has serious behavioral problems.
Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy
Biting can happen if kids are teething, feeling frustrated about not being able to verbally communicate their feelings — or because of a need for more oral or sensory stimulation.
If your child bites another child, here are some ways to handle it:
Also, it is common to say things such as “we don’t bite our friends” or “we don’t bite mommy or daddy,” however, this actually gives the children permission to bite others that aren’t their friends or family. Instead, focus on making brief statements, such as “we don’t bite.”
Talk to your child’s caregivers if the biting continues. Also, remember that it’s not out of the ordinary for children under age 2 to bite others. It does not mean your child is bad; it just means they are going through a phase.
— Child psychologist Kate Eshleman, Psy.D.