M.I.S.D.&CHILD&CARE&CENTER&–&BITING&POLICY&
&
Explanations,&policies&and&procedures&regarding&biting&in&the&child&care&center.&
&
&
Children&biting&other&children&is&one&of&the&most&common&and&most&difficult&
behaviors&in&group&child&care.&&It&can&occur&without&warning,&is&difficult&to&defend&
against,&and&provokes&strong&emotional&responses&in&the&biter,&the&victim,&the&
parents,&and&the&caregivers&involved.&
&
For&many&toddlers,&the&biting&stage&is&just&a&passing&problem.&&Toddlers&try&it&out&as&a&
way&to&get&what&they&want&from&another&toddler.&&They&are&in&the&process&of&learning&
what&is&socially&acceptable&and&what&is&not.&&They&discover&that&biting&is&a&sure-fire&
way&to&cause&another&child&to&drop&what&they&are&holding&so&the&biter&can&pick&it&up.&&
However,&they&experience&the&disapproval&of&the&a dults&nearby&and&eventually&learn&
other&ways&of&gaining&possession&of&objects&or&expressing&difficult&feelings.&
&
For&other&children,&biting&is&a&persistent&and&chronic&problem.&&They&may&bite&for&a&
variety&of&reasons:&&teething,&frustration,&boredom,&inadequate&language&skills,&stress&
or&change&in&the&environment,&feeling&threatened,&or&to&feel&a&sense&of&power.&
&
& No&matter&what&the&cause,&biting&in&a&group&situation&causes&strong&feelings&
in&all&involved.&&It&does&help,&however,&to&be&aware&of&the&potential&problem&before&it&
happens,&and&to&form&a&plan&of&action&if&it&does&occur.&
&MISD&Child&Care&Center&has&developed&the&following&plan&of&action&to&be&used&if&and&
when&biting&occurs&in&any&of&our&rooms.&
&
Before&biting&occurs:&
&
1.&&Discuss&the&issue&of&biting&with&parents&at & open&house.&
2.&&Distribute&written&policy&to&all&families&and&include&in&the&enrollment&&&&&&&&
packet&&(under&Discipline&in&our&parent&handbook)&
&
When&a&child&is&bitten:&
For&the&biter:&
1. The&biter&is&immediately&removed&with&no&emotion,&using&words&such&as&
“biting&is&not&okay&–&it&hurts.”&&Avoid&any&immediate&response&that&
reinforces&the&biting&or&calls&attention&to&the&biter.&Attention&is&focused&on&
the&victim.&
2. The&biter&is&not&allowed&to&return&to&the&play&area&and&is&talked&to&on&a&
level&that&the&child&can&understand.&&“I&can&see&that&you&want&that&truck,&
but&I&can’t&let&you&hurt&him.&&We&don’t&put&our&teeth&on&people.”&
3. Redirect&the&child&to&other&play.&
4. Fill&out&report&of&biting&and&notify&the&director,&who&will&notify&both&
parents.&
For&the&victim:&
1. Separate&the&victim&from&the&biter.&
2. Comfort&the&child&
3. Administer&first&aid&
4. Fill&out&report&of&biting&and&notify&the&director,&who&will&notify&
parents&of&both&children.&
&
If&biting&continues:&
&
1. Staff&will&meet&with&director&on&a&routine&basis&for&advice,&support&and&
strategy&planning.&
2. Chart&every&occurrence,&including&attempted&bites&and&indicate&location,&
time,&participants,&behaviors,&staff&present&and&circumstances.&
3. Let&all&parents&know&that&there&is&a&problem&and&the&procedures&that&will&
be&followed&to&deal&with&it.&
4. Shadow&children&who&indicate&a&tendency&to&bite:&
a. As&much&as&possible,&Plan&to&Head&off&biting&situations&before&they&
occur.&&
b. Teach&non-biting&responses&to&situations&and&reinforce&
appropriate&behavior.&
c. Adapt&the&program&to&better&fit&the&individual&child’s&needs.&
5. &Shadow&children&who&have&a&tendency&to&be&bitten:&
a. Head&off&biting&situations&a&much&as&possible.&
b. Teach&responses&to&potential&biting&situations:&&&
“NO!&&or&“Don’t&hurt&me!”&
&
6.&&Work&together&as&partners&with&the&parents&of&both&children&and&frequent&&&&&
victims&to&keep&all&informed&and&develop&a&joint&strategy&for&change.&
7.&&Consider&early&transition&of&a&child&“stuck”& in& a&biting&behavior&pattern&for&
a&change&of&environment,&if)developmentally)appropriate.&
8.&&It&may&be&necessary&to&remove&the&biter&from&the&classroom,&or&from&the&
center&if&biting&persists.&
If&it&is&deemed&in&the&best&interest&of&the&child,&center,&and&other&chil dren,&
terminate&the&child&from&Center&enrollment&for&the&duration&of&the&biting&
stage.&&Written&warning&will&be&given&to&t he& parents&before&the&action&will&be&
taken.&
&
&
&
&
&
&
&
&