Intervene immediately when a child bites another. Firmly, but calmly, tell the child to stop. Focus all your attention on the child who has been bitten. There can be an attention-seeking element to biting, so do not reward it by giving this attention. Ask the child who bit the other child to help you look after the injured child. Do not become angry.
Pay attention to all the children, ensuring they have one-to-one interaction with members of staff. Train all staff to respond to incidences of bad behavior in a consistent manner. Incorporate quiet rest times into the daily routine and ensure the decor and layout of the classroom is not overstimulating. Focus on communication as children sometimes bite when they are unable to express strong feelings. Encourage the children to express their emotions safely.
Ask a member of staff to shadow a child who is a persistent biter. Discuss her responses so that she intervenes every time the child is about to bite and distracts him from doing so. This gives an opportunity to assess the triggers and also to break the habit. Clearing House on Early Education and Parenting notes that doing this consistently for 2 weeks is usually enough to stop the biting.
Follow your organization's policy on dealing with and reporting aggressive behavior. Draw a reasonable balance between intervention and overreaction. If a child's behavior is very persistent or combined with other signs of disturbance, speak to the parents as the child may need help from a specialist such as a child psychologist.