Why Do Some Children Bite?
Biting Policy
In the setting we acknowledge that biting is a common behaviour that some young children go through. It evokes a strong emotion in adults, both parents and educators. Biting is often very painful and frightening for the child who is bitten. It can also be very frightening for the child who bites. It can be part of some children’s development and can be triggered when they do not yet have the words to communicate their anger, frustration or need. In the Robinswood Academy Trust Early Years Settings we follow our positive behaviour policy to promote positive behaviour at all times.
Why do some children bite?
- Teething – swelling gums can be painful and cause discomfort; this can be relieved by biting or chewing on something
- Exploration – babies and young children explore the world around them using their senses, young children do not always know the difference between gnawing on a toy and biting someone
- Frustration – children can be frustrated by a number of things, such as; wanting to be independent and do things for themselves and not having the vocabulary to express themselves clearly. This can lead to biting as a way of dealing with this frustration
In the event of a child being bitten the following procedure will be followed:
- The child will be comforted and reassured
A qualified Early Years First Aider will:
- Clean the wound immediately by running warm tap water over it for a couple of minutes, even if the skin doesn’t appear to be broken.
- If the wound is bleeding heavily, put a sterile dressing over it and apply pressure
- Dry the wound and cover it with a clean dressing or plaster.
- If the bite has broken or bruised the skin, the parents/carers will then be contacted by telephone so they are aware that their child has been bitten.
When to seek medical advice
- In the event of a bite breaking the skin and to reduce the risk of infection from bacteria, prompt treatment may be needed for both the ‘biter’ and the ‘bitten’. Under the Heath Protection Agency guidelines parents/carers & practitioners will need to seek medical attention. This could be through the GP surgery or an Accident and Emergency (A &E) department
When the child is collected there will be an incident form completed with all the information about the biting and any treatment given. For confidentiality purposes the name of the child who has bitten will not be disclosed to the parents.
The child who has caused the bite will be told in terms that they understand that biting (the behaviour and not the child) is unkind.
An incident form will be completed and shared with the parents.
If a child continues to bite, observations will be carried out to try to distinguish a cause, e.g. tiredness or frustration. Meetings will be held with the child’s parents and other professionals if necessary, to develop strategies to prevent the biting behaviour.
Where a child may repeatedly bite the setting will carry out a risk assessment.
We appreciate that if a child has been bitten or has bitten someone, this can be distressing. We ask that parents/carers speak to staff about any concerns they may have in a calm manner. Please remember that staff cannot give information about any other children in the setting, and will not disclose who has bitten a child or, who a child has bitten.
The key to putting a stop to any challenging behaviour is a partnership approach.
We ask that parents/carers work with staff and support any behaviour management techniques and use them at home as well as at our setting.
If a child’s reoccurring behaviour is having a negative impact on a child(ren)’s experience at our setting, we will work closely with all involved to reduce and eliminate these issues.
Dated: March 2017
Review: 2018