Little Biters
By Saima Yasin
I hear so many stories from my learners about children biting and it seems surprisingly common.
Children who are starting at an early year setting may feel the stress of being left in a new
environment, surrounded by unknown children and adults. When a child does not feel a secure
attachment to the responsible adult a physical reaction is more likely. At times biting is a way of
expressing their feelings for some children or a means to get them away from confusion or
confrontation with another child.
Children who have not started to express verbally may use physical means to express their needs.
Here are some few suggestions which I have used when working with young children:
• Stay calm and make sure both children are distanced from each other so that no more harm
can be done.
• Deal with the victim of the bite first, help the child to calm down, allow the nurse to examine
the bite.
• Encourage both children to describe the incident - this is best done separately to allow both
children to express themselves freely.
• Talk to the biting child about alternative, more appropriate ways of dealing with his/her
frustrations.
• Complete a record of the incident and talk to both parents at pick up time.
• Explain your settings policy and procedure to the parents on biting incidents and the steps you
plan to take next.