my dd is biting herself

[tabegle]

When I picked my dd (4.5) up from daycare yesterday, there was an "incident note" stating that she was angry, wouldn't calm down, and she was biting herself after she was told to calm down. This isn't the first time she's bitten herself. And she's leaving marks. I thought she had scraped her upper arm when I first saw the marks yesterday.

I tried talking to her about it and told her that when she's angry, maybe she can slowly count to 10 or 20 to calm down instead of hurting herself. I don't know how much that helped.

She's an average girl, (though, the teacher says she's smart and what mom won't want to agree with that ;)) and she usually plays well with her peers. She does get extremely shy with new people. Even in her tumbling class that meets once a week.. she's been there 4 times now and still won't talk to anyone. She someone tells her she's cute or pretty, I can not get her to thank the person. She's a very strong willed girl.

I could really use some advise both about the self-inflicted pain and helping her break out of her shell.

TIA!

[elliput]

IMO, you need to address this with a professional. Self-injurious behavior is not considered typical development.

[tabegle]

Well, I wouldn't say it happens often. The last time I remember was several months ago, but yes, it is still worrying. I found this article: http://www.babycenter.com/404_my-child-hits-and-bites-himself-what-should-i-do_69193.bc

I really can't find what is setting her off. It's only been in daycare and I imagine it is really that she hasn't been allowed to speak her mind about the situation at hand.

I really liked the first comment on the article. More attention, more physical activity. Though, her quite, reserved behavior... maybe that's just who she is. But i don't want it to restrict her. I see other kids volunteering answers in the tumbling class. DD knows the answers, but she never speaks out.

[TwoBees]

Could biting be a stress reliever? Chewing is a way that some children deal with anxiety and/or stress. Perhaps you can offer her some biting-appropriate devices with which she can destress?
Like these:
http://funandfunction.com/cool-chews-butterfly-p-1653.html
http://funandfunction.com/organic-bangle-p-2473.html

[lilycat88]

DS just turned 3 and also bites himself. For him, it mostly surfaces when he is overstimulated but also when frustrated or angry. It's a daily or multiple times a day thing but he doesn't usually leave a mark. He is having a behaviorial evaluation by a child psychiatrist in August. We're suspecting an anxiety issue with some auditory sensitivity. He has some other behavioral issues (aggression, loud speaking to get attention, etc.) but it was the biting himself (combined with a strong family history of anxiety) that led our ped to recommend the evaluation.

No real advice since we're dealing with it as well.

[megs4413]

IMO, you need to address this with a professional. Self-injurious behavior is not considered typical development.

This. Been dealing with it for years. We haven't had any incidents in over a year with the help of therapy. She showed behaviors at even 2yo that I discounted before things escalated to where it was obvious that it required professional help at 5yo.