Is Biting Normal Behavior for Young Children?
Biting can be a common behavior between the ages of fourteen and twenty-four months as well as for some older children. One of the most common reasons for biting is the frustration that children of this age feel when they are unable to use words. Toddlerhood is a time of strong feelings and few words. This is a time of great change for children and the powerful feelings unleashed by these changes can sometimes lead to biting. Children are more likely to bite at times when they are making important changes such as learning to use the toilet, moving to a big bed, or becoming a big brother or sister. All of these normal stresses can be expressed by biting. You can lessen the chance that children will use biting to express their feelings by letting them know that these changes are sometimes hard. You might say, “Are you missing your bottle?” or, “Are you missing your crib?” Talking about changes in the child’s life gives the child a chance to express these natural feelings, rather than bit
