From Theory to Practice:
Addressing Special Needs Challenging Behaviors
How to handle biting and aggressive behaviors:
- Be firm and consistent, but stay calm and in control of your emotions -Tell your child that it is absolutely not ok to hit/grab/push/bite (describe the specific behavior) - Move your child gently to the side and let her watch you as you offer comfort to the other child - Explain to your child that there are better ways to solve conflicts/get what she wants/engage a friend (describe the apparent goal that caused the bite/aggressive behavior) - If your child is cognitively able, ask her what she thinks would be a better way to accomplish that goal. Help her think it through until she reaches an acceptable alternative - If your child is not yet able to problem-solve with your assistance, simply explain and model the appropriate behavior instead ("gentle touch", or "ask for a turn") - Encourage your child to check on her peer and offer her help by getting some ice, a tissue, or a band aid. - If it is possible, encourage your child to try again, this time using the appropriate behavior - Always end the process by assuring your child that you love her very much More on Biting:
- Children sometimes bite when they are teething. Make sure to provide them with cooling cloths, teething toys, or other appropriate objects for that purpose. - Most biting incidents happen before children start talking. However, it is still important to follow the previous directions in order to establish a consistent way of guiding their behavior. - Though it really hurts the receiver, serious biting is actually more dangerous to the biter because it exposes him to blood, which will be in direct contact with his mouth and may enter his system through swallowing (Green et al., 2011). |
In the following article, Dr. Marian Marion addresses angry behavior in young children:
Helping Young Children Manage the Strong Emotion of Anger |