Our little girl, 18 months old has taken to biting, but I don't think it is in anger of frustration. We could be playing and having lots of fun, she would be laughing and running about, but then she would suddenly grab you and bite,  as though she is giving you a  hug. We tell her that it is not nice and it hurts but that does not stop her. Could it be a show of affection, as she does it when she is happy or excited, during play? Anyway , for whatever reason she is doing it we would like her to stop. Could you please give us some advice. Thanks so much.

Thank you for your email. I understand your concern for your daughter. As your daughter is still very young and does not have the words to communicate her feelings and needs, she is communicating with you through biting. Often in play children can feel overwhelmed and even possibly a little frightened. You may have experienced this when you were younger and someone was tickling you. Initially it was funny and fun, but when they wouldn’t stop, you felt a little frightened and trapped. It may help to monitor your play with her and keep intense physical play periods short. Be sensitive to what she does just before she bites, so this can be your cue to stop the game or change it. Remember she doesn’t have the words yet to say stop I don’t want to play this game anymore, or dad I’m getting over excited and feeling a bit overwhelmed.   She could also be reacting by biting to the excitement she feels. Keep exciting periods of play short, followed by another calmer game and I am sure she will stop biting. Don’t stop the physical play with her as that time with you is very precious and vital for her development, just monitor it and look for clues that may indicate the game needs to change.   Let me know how you are all doing.