Baby got bit at day care

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your baby is only five months old, the center should be doing a better job of keeping the toddlers away from her.

My kids have been bitten and have bitten others (only once or twice) but they were in the same age grouping when this happened with other toddlers. Once the children are more mobile and able to bite, hit and even kick, they should be segregated away from the little babies.

Now, they are all in the baby toddler ROOM of the center but they do have gated off areas for the babies vs. the toddlers.

I can't imagine a five month old being bitten at the center I've used for he past 7 years....

I totally agree with this. Toddlers biting each other is one thing (biting usually peaks at 2 - 2 1/2 years) but an INFANT getting bitten at five months of age? That is insane. And really sad because all research indicates that babies at this age are trying to figure out if the world is a good or bad place, and whether their caregivers will really protect them and accept them and do anything to make sure they are safe and secure.

It's totally screwed up.


Yes, it's unfortunate that it happened but I can't imagine this child will be going to therapy as an adult over this. Childhood is FILLED with bumps and bruises yet most of us seem to grow up to be functioning adults.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your baby is only five months old, the center should be doing a better job of keeping the toddlers away from her.

My kids have been bitten and have bitten others (only once or twice) but they were in the same age grouping when this happened with other toddlers. Once the children are more mobile and able to bite, hit and even kick, they should be segregated away from the little babies.

Now, they are all in the baby toddler ROOM of the center but they do have gated off areas for the babies vs. the toddlers.

I can't imagine a five month old being bitten at the center I've used for he past 7 years....

I totally agree with this. Toddlers biting each other is one thing (biting usually peaks at 2 - 2 1/2 years) but an INFANT getting bitten at five months of age? That is insane. And really sad because all research indicates that babies at this age are trying to figure out if the world is a good or bad place, and whether their caregivers will really protect them and accept them and do anything to make sure they are safe and secure.

It's totally screwed up.


Yes, it's unfortunate that it happened but I can't imagine this child will be going to therapy as an adult over this. Childhood is FILLED with bumps and bruises yet most of us seem to grow up to be functioning adults.

Sure, childhood. As I said, toddlers and preschoolers occasionally bite. Fine.

But there is no way that an infant should be bitten like that while under the supervision of daycare teachers. Therapy, probably not, and I didn't say that in my previous post. However, babies being HURT in that way is not a good thing - it's traumatic and sad. I can't even imagine why anyone would defend this.

[Anonymous]

Babies are resiliant. Unless it was an ongoing event or something seriously and truly traumatizing the baby will be just fine. Hell, my DD flipped off her changing table smashing her head into a chair on the way down and I couldn't catch her in time. At no point has my DD appeared to be traumatized or leary of me as her caretaker. To her falling from a height and getting slightly injured was just as painful if not more so than being bitten. They can't differentiate at that age. She'll be just fine and so will the 5 month old. Now if it happened again I would have serious concerns.

[Anonymous]

hi I'm a SAHM and am very diligent, careful etc... and one twin bit the other twin in a span of seconds. Just wanted to let you know in that, it can even happen to the best of us. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:hi I'm a SAHM and am very diligent, careful etc... and one twin bit the other twin in a span of seconds. Just wanted to let you know in that, it can even happen to the best of us. Good luck.

Exactly! You can be hovering and these things can happen. My DD has a black eye right now because of falling and her finger jamming into her eyelid. I was DIRECTLY over her and looking right at her. Accidents, bites etc. can happen in a snap. Sometimes even the sweetest toddle bites.

[Anonymous]

OP here - thanks to everyone for your support.

1. DD is fine. Her primary caretaker was holding her when I came in and seemed to have been holding her ever since the bite. I could see how horrible she felt about it and I am sure she will watch both the biter and DD more carefully in the future.

2. DD may have been bitten by a crawling 8 m.o. - I have no idea. It wasnt necessarily a toddler. The infant room seems to work fine. The kids range between 5 months and 14 months. There are only 16 kids total in 2 rooms (8 kids in each) with 6 teachers, so there isnt really a practical further division.

3. Perhaps she could have been watched closer and I'm sure they feel that was a mistake on their part but accidents happen and kids who we didnt realize can walk or crawl or bite may have just learned in that moment of time.

4. I actually have a 20 m.o. too, who has been known to nibble on DD's feet, as her dad nibbles on her feet. (never an actual bite but she puts them in her mouth). So i know that accidents happen and could happen at any time.

I appreciate the support as DD1 also got hurt this week, playing around with DH, so it was a tough week on us, but thankfully both girls are doing great and babies have very short memories when it comes to stuff like this.

[Anonymous]

OP: I am very sorry your child got bitten. My child has been on both ends of this, and it is hard on the parents either way. Harder on the parents than the child, if you judge by all these responses.

All the outraged responders: get a grip. Many babies and toddlers bite. It happens often and, as another PP pointed out, it can happen so fast, that even the best caretakers can't prevent every occurrence. Key is how they responded and how they handle it in the future now that they know one of the kids may do this.

Geez-a-loo.

[Anonymous]

previous fun on this topic:

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/56115.page#401356

[Anonymous]

Little ones bite sometimes. I have worked in many centers with infants and toddlers. There are some kids that bite no matter what you do. I have had some kids wait until your changing a diaper to go off and bite another kid. While its upsetting for the parent it is upsetting to the teacher especially if they are blamed all the time.

Some of the worst bite offenders are center staff kids and they will never leave. By the way it is against the law to tell the parent of the bitten who did the biting. I have been threathened by people.

Biting hurts, before you get all bent out of shape remember they are all babies and sometimes it happens.

[Anonymous]

Were we just lucky? DD has been in a center-based daycare since she was 15 months old and never got bitten.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Were we just lucky? DD has been in a center-based daycare since she was 15 months old and never got bitten.

You are just beginning to hit the age where biting becomes common. From now until almost 3.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you really don't want another baby or toddler ever touching your baby, you ought to get a nanny. That way your child can have constant one-on-one supervision and never, ever be touched by another child.

Kids in daycare are all in the same room. They're going to touch each other. How is that a surprise?

No one is complaining about touching. Biting is another thing.

[Anonymous]

My DD is in a center. She's 10 months old and has been bitten twice. She has been just fine both times and I feel confident that her caregivers are very competent and that the biting occurred under reasonable circumstances (our center has a 1:3 ratio)

The suggestion that only toddlers bite (and not babies) is just plain wrong. Babies use their mouths to explore--anytime my DD picks up a new object it goes straight to the mouth. Chewing and biting are part of that exploration and they don't necessarily understand that biting hurts. Part of why I didn't flip out when my DD was bitten was that I know she will be the biter sooner or later--she has gotten me and DH on a number of occasions. We tell her "no biting" when it happens (and usually put her down if we're holding her), but trying to "discipline" a 6-10 month old seems excessive to me. And I know my DD enjoys interacting with the other babies--in our view it's one of the advantages of having her in day care. I would not be okay with a system that isolated babies to prevent potential biting.

[Anonymous]

BTW, PP, I love "Geez-a-loo" and will now use that! LOL! Happy Holidays to all the Mommy's and hugs to you OP!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:hi I'm a SAHM and am very diligent, careful etc... and one twin bit the other twin in a span of seconds. Just wanted to let you know in that, it can even happen to the best of us. Good luck.

At what age?