Health Tip: Is Your Child a Biter?

(HealthDay News) -- Biting is a common behavior in toddlers, who may be easily frustrated.

The Nemours Foundation offers these suggestions to help curb biting among toddlers:

  • First, give attention and comfort to the person who has been bitten.

  • Calmly and firmly address the biter with simple language, such as "no biting" or "biting hurts."

  • Talk to the child about alternatives to biting, such as using words like "stop" or "no."

  • Redirect a frustrated toddler with positive ways to burn off energy, such as by playing a game or dancing to music.

  • Put the child in a timeout; one minute per year of age is a good benchmark.

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