Of all these childhood behaviors, however, biting seems to cause parents' the most problems. Horrified teachers and day care providers occasionally overreact and harshly punish the biter, the parents of the biter are embarrassed by the incident, and the parents of the victim are upset that their child has been hurt. Yet biting is very common. Studies have shown that over half of all toddlers in day care have been bitten more than once. Boys are more likely to bite than girls and the behavior is more common when parents use physical punishment for discipline.
Children usually bite to obtain objects, gain attention, or express frustration.
Biting usually starts at the time teeth erupt and is usually a chance discovery while teething. Initially, some parents think it is cute and the child considers it a game to gain attention. Breast-fed infants generally learn very quickly not to bite, probably because of mother's pain and the prompt removal of the infant from the breast. During the toddler stage of child development, biting becomes a form of communication. The youngster wants to be independent but lacks the necessary verbal skills.