Why Does My Child Keep Hitting and Biting?
Tina Payne Bryson, Ph.D., LCSW
HumanUp Founding Expert
- Author of NYT Bestsellers The Whole-Brain Child & No-Drama Discipline
- Founder & Executive Director, The Center for Connection
- Pediatric Psychotherapist & Mom of 3
The Brain Science Behind Hitting & Biting
These behaviors stem from neurological and developmental factors in young children. Understanding the science can help you better address and guide your child through this challenging phase.
- Impulse Control: The prefrontal cortex, responsible for regulating impulses, is still developing in toddlers. This means their ability to control spontaneous actions like hitting and biting is limited.
- Communication Skills: Young children often lack the verbal skills to express frustration or needs, leading to physical actions as a form of communication.
- Emotional Regulation: The limbic system, which governs emotions, can easily become overwhelmed in toddlers, causing them to react physically when they feel intense emotions.
Why Generic Advice Fails
Social media hacks often oversimplify the complexities of hitting and biting behaviors, ignoring how unique family dynamics and individual temperament play a crucial role. Without considering your specific environment, these one-size-fits-all solutions fall short.
A 24/7 Digital Partnership
Parenting isn't fixed by a one-off hack. It requires understanding the unique dynamics of your family ecosystem. HumanUp gives you a direct line to the authorized digital version of Tina Payne Bryson. Get trusted, ethical guidance tailored to your unique child—without the endless scrolling, conflicting advice, or judgment.
Available 24/7 right in your pocket, you can work together to:
- Learn how to identify and anticipate your child’s triggers, reducing incidents before they happen.
- Work with Tina Payne Bryson to develop personalized strategies for nurturing emotional regulation tailored to your child's temperament.
- Get ongoing support to adapt communication techniques that help your child express needs verbally instead of physically.
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