Experimental biting is relatively frequent with under-twos and not a sign of serious underlying problems. It is quite usual for children aged 16 to 30 months to express their emotion by biting others at some point, often because they lack the words to articulate their feelings.
It is unwise to dismiss attempts to bite as an age-related 'phase', however. Only a minority of young children develop a persistent biting habit, or start this pattern from the ages of three to five years. Children with learning disabilities may behave in ways typical of a younger child.
DEALiNG WITH INCIDENTS
The best response to a child's initial attempts to bite has much in common with the strategy that you should use if a child persists in biting.
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