Why is my child biting?
Biting in children is very common. Infants will bite as a means of exploring a new object or even their own ability to use their teeth on another person and see the reaction. However some children continue to bite as they leave toddlerhood and at this point one must look at the possible reasons a child is biting. What is going on for the child that causes him to bite?
Some children will resort to biting because they feel frustrated or overwhelmed in some way, or they feel they are not receiving enough attention ( for example if there is a new sibling in the family). They lack the language skills to express themselves and can resort to biting to express frustration, anger or feeling left out. During the course of a day a child will experience periods of disappointment or isolation or frustration that we know nothing about. They do not yet possess the skills to deal with these little episodes and the feelings associated with them build up, often over a period of days or weeks. It could be as simple as the child not being able to express that he misses mummy or daddy as they are busy working and managing the house. Or that he doesn’t like being surrounded by other children and doesn’t know how to communicate with them. Understanding Biting.
It could be any number of issues that we as parents, will not be aware of and would not class as anything ‘difficult’. But biting is usually a signal that some ‘big’ feelings need to be heard and understood. Something is not right for the child and this action is a way for the child to get some attention focused on the bigger feelings that are at the root of the frustration or fear. A child doesn’t feel better after biting someone, he will feel worse and the guilt will add to his already overflowing cup of upset which he wont get to release now as usually the reaction of a parent is to be cross with the perpetrator and comfort the child that has been bitten.
So how can Cork Kinesiology help a child that is biting?
The Child Centre Method in which I am trained targets primitive reflexes. These are early patterns that develop in utero for our survival. Usually they integrate within 6 to 12 months of being born. However sometimes these reflexes can be retained due to a variety of factors including stress during pregnancy or a stressful birth. If these reflexes are retained they contribute to behaviour in the child that will include a low tolerance to stress or an overreaction to situations, insecurity, fear of a new situation among others, all of which will contribute to biting as the child cannot process the emotional rollercoaster within.
The Moro Reflex and The Bonding Reflex are two of the main reflexes that, if retained, lead to behavioural issues like biting. Biting is a subconscious frustration or automatic reflex overreaction to a stress that has been placed on the nervous system at an earlier stage. A hypersensitivity or an overreaction to a change in routine, controlling or aggressive behaviour, constant need for attention from Mum and Dad or acute shyness in social situations are among the behaviours exhibited by the child with retained Moro and Bonding reflexes.
The Child Centre Method used by Cork Kinesiology uses standardised assessments to ascertain which reflexes are retained. A unique plan is formulated for the child depending on the outcome of these tests and treatment will include non invasive Kinesiology protocals to relax the stress in the nervous system.
Will my child stop biting?
When a Primitive Reflex has been integrated the changes in child behaviour are always noticeable. You will have removed a stress or several layers of stress from the child. As a result your child be calmer and more stable, less aggressive and less inclined to bite. Your child will be noticeably
- less shy or less aggressive.
- have better coordination.
- have improved spelling, writing and comprehension.
- have improved sporting prowess.
If you are worried about your child biting and other aggressive behaviours, please do not hesitate to contact me on 087 7876361 for a confidential consultation about your child.
Tony Galvin
Director of Cork Kinesiology
www.corkkinesiology.com
