Biting in Preschool/Ese

[Guest guest]

My son started Sandpiper Shores...Pre School / Ese..last Tuesday.. He is in a

class with 7 children...There is a boy in class who is prone to biting(even

listed in his IEP). He has already bit 3 different children since school started

, one being mine.. He bit him once on Monday and a second time today.... he did

not break skin, but I really don't wish to wait until that happens...I can

empathize with this little boy as I am a Mom of a child with autism as well,

however I don't want my child or others in class to be in danger.../be hurt..

Can this child have a shadow/aide to be with him to see this wont happen

anymore.. ? I am asking for suggestions/ contacts / experiences any of you may

have had regarding this situation.. I am very upset and a lil afraid to send

him back to class... Thank you Kindly, Stacey.......

[Guest guest]

My son was a biter and I was the mom who feared the days he bit other children. At that time, he seemed so unpredictable. For one child he bit, it caused a whole controversy where the father came to the school and threatened my son, us and the teacher and para. He had to be removed by security and it was a huge issue. Then, I had to fear that he would try to hurt my son or us for the rest of the time he was in school. I had tried to speak with the child's mother on several occasions and she could not say to me that her husband would not take physical and aggressive action towards us, including my 3-4 year old! So, I know biting is in itself controversial.

Anyway, the reason I bring this tangential item up is that biting is such an issue when stuff happens a lot in classrooms and our kids are impulsive, still learning to use their words and an adult cannot be velcro'd to them at all times to protect them and others. If the adult is velcro'd to the child, it limits their opportunities to learn new and more effective ways to interact with peers. There is all sorts of research about how this is actually detrimental for all children. Even still, a para/shadow may not always be able to prevent a biting occurrence.

The biter should have a Functional Behavioral Assessment conducted to determine the function of the biting behavior and then have a follow up Behavior Intervention Plan to include strategies and behavioral supports to assist the child in reducing or eliminating the behavior. It does not happen overnight. And I am sorry you fear for your child to be bitten but it happens in typical preschools too. To ostracize the child in any way is not healthy.

Once some very simple behavioral interventions were put into place, my son's biting went from several times a day to 0 within a very short period of time.

I am sorry you are scared for your child but this too, shall pass.

From: stacey_vips

Sent: Thursday, August 27, 2009 11:11 PM

To: sList

Subject: Biting in Preschool/Ese

My son started Sandpiper Shores...Pre School / Ese..last Tuesday.. He is in a class with 7 children...There is a boy in class who is prone to biting(even listed in his IEP). He has already bit 3 different children since school started , one being mine.. He bit him once on Monday and a second time today.... he did not break skin, but I really don't wish to wait until that happens...I can empathize with this little boy as I am a Mom of a child with autism as well, however I don't want my child or others in class to be in danger.../be hurt.. Can this child have a shadow/aide to be with him to see this wont happen anymore.. ? I am asking for suggestions/ contacts / experiences any of you may have had regarding this situation.. I am very upset and a lil afraid to send him back to class... Thank you Kindly, Stacey.......

[Guest guest]

My son was bitten several times while in public school. I talked to the teacher,

the ESE specialist and an asst principal. Didn't stop. I called the local police

department, met with an officer and showed him the pictures and the home notes.

I then asked about how to file Reckless Endangerment charges against the ESE

specialist, principal and school board.

The biting stopped. I don't know why but I didn't care either.

I would never blame the student or parents of the student that did the biting.

The blame lies with the school for not providing a secure and safe learning

environment. The teacher was not provided with the tools necessary to provide

the safe learning environment, it was / is not his / her fault.

I would recommend that you put it in writing and get signed copies of receipt

for the ESE specialist and the principal and make calls to area ESE specialist

and your district school board member and your 2 at large school board members.

The Florida State Constitution says all students are entitled to a secure

education. There might be a lot of questions on how to define FAPE, but biting

and secure is a no brainer.

Steve

And thank you for not blaming the student or his parents.

>

> My son was a biter and I was the mom who feared the days he bit other

children. At that time, he seemed so unpredictable. For one child he bit, it

caused a whole controversy where the father came to the school and threatened my

son, us and the teacher and para. He had to be removed by security and it was a

huge issue. Then, I had to fear that he would try to hurt my son or us for the

rest of the time he was in school. I had tried to speak with the child's mother

on several occasions and she could not say to me that her husband would not take

physical and aggressive action towards us, including my 3-4 year old! So, I

know biting is in itself controversial.

>

> Anyway, the reason I bring this tangential item up is that biting is such an

issue when stuff happens a lot in classrooms and our kids are impulsive, still

learning to use their words and an adult cannot be velcro'd to them at all times

to protect them and others. If the adult is velcro'd to the child, it limits

their opportunities to learn new and more effective ways to interact with peers.

There is all sorts of research about how this is actually detrimental for all

children. Even still, a para/shadow may not always be able to prevent a biting

occurrence.

>

> The biter should have a Functional Behavioral Assessment conducted to

determine the function of the biting behavior and then have a follow up Behavior

Intervention Plan to include strategies and behavioral supports to assist the

child in reducing or eliminating the behavior. It does not happen overnight.

And I am sorry you fear for your child to be bitten but it happens in typical

preschools too. To ostracize the child in any way is not healthy.

>

> Once some very simple behavioral interventions were put into place, my son's

biting went from several times a day to 0 within a very short period of time.

>

> I am sorry you are scared for your child but this too, shall pass.

>

>

> From: stacey_vips

> Sent: Thursday, August 27, 2009 11:11 PM

> To: sList

> Subject: Biting in Preschool/Ese

>

>

> My son started Sandpiper Shores...Pre School / Ese..last Tuesday.. He is in

a class with 7 children...There is a boy in class who is prone to biting(even

listed in his IEP). He has already bit 3 different children since school started

, one being mine.. He bit him once on Monday and a second time today.... he did

not break skin, but I really don't wish to wait until that happens...I can

empathize with this little boy as I am a Mom of a child with autism as well,

however I don't want my child or others in class to be in danger.../be hurt..

Can this child have a shadow/aide to be with him to see this wont happen

anymore.. ? I am asking for suggestions/ contacts / experiences any of you may

have had regarding this situation.. I am very upset and a lil afraid to send him

back to class... Thank you Kindly, Stacey.......

>

[Guest guest]

Just to give another take on this we have a kid on the spectrum who bites out of frustration. However he never bites other kids only " authority figures " ie teachers. He is in an autism support classroom and the teachers are trained to deal with it. Fortunately as his communication skills have improved his biting has decreased. But it was ( and to some extent still is ) a worry that one day we will hear he has bitten another kid.

But what is the answer ? Exclude the kids and give them home schooling ? It would be sad if it came to that. However trained are the one on one shadows the occasional incident can happen. Many of the kids on the spectrum are aggressive in other ways- throwing objects ( which could by accident hit another kid ) or doing self injurious things which can either upset the other kids emotionally or maybe even prompt the other kids to copy those behaviors as we all know children on the spectrum are prone to do. Should you exclude those kids too ? Or those that scream and tantrum and refuse to take any instructions ?

Not trying to be difficult but just trying to point out that it is not an easy situation and it is over simplifying things to pin all the blame on the educators who in most cases are extremely dedicated to safety and at the same time working with the kids with bad behaviors to help reduce them.

Subject: Re: Biting in Preschool/EseTo: sList Date: Saturday, 29 August, 2009, 9:50 PM

My son was bitten several times while in public school. I talked to the teacher, the ESE specialist and an asst principal. Didn't stop. I called the local police department, met with an officer and showed him the pictures and the home notes. I then asked about how to file Reckless Endangerment charges against the ESE specialist, principal and school board.The biting stopped. I don't know why but I didn't care either.I would never blame the student or parents of the student that did the biting. The blame lies with the school for not providing a secure and safe learning environment. The teacher was not provided with the tools necessary to provide the safe learning environment, it was / is not his / her fault.I would recommend that you put it in writing and get signed copies of receipt for the ESE specialist and the principal and make calls to area ESE specialist and your district school board member and your 2 at large school

board members.The Florida State Constitution says all students are entitled to a secure education. There might be a lot of questions on how to define FAPE, but biting and secure is a no brainer.SteveAnd thank you for not blaming the student or his parents.>> My son was a biter and I was the mom who feared the days he bit other children. At that time, he seemed so unpredictable. For one child he bit, it caused a whole controversy where the father came to the school and threatened my son, us and the teacher and para. He had to be removed by security and it was a huge issue. Then, I had to fear that he would try to hurt my son or us for the rest of the time he was in school. I had

tried to speak with the child's mother on several occasions and she could not say to me that her husband would not take physical and aggressive action towards us, including my 3-4 year old! So, I know biting is in itself controversial. > > Anyway, the reason I bring this tangential item up is that biting is such an issue when stuff happens a lot in classrooms and our kids are impulsive, still learning to use their words and an adult cannot be velcro'd to them at all times to protect them and others. If the adult is velcro'd to the child, it limits their opportunities to learn new and more effective ways to interact with peers. There is all sorts of research about how this is actually detrimental for all children. Even still, a para/shadow may not always be able to prevent a biting occurrence. > > The biter should have a Functional Behavioral Assessment conducted to determine the function of the biting behavior and then have a

follow up Behavior Intervention Plan to include strategies and behavioral supports to assist the child in reducing or eliminating the behavior. It does not happen overnight. And I am sorry you fear for your child to be bitten but it happens in typical preschools too. To ostracize the child in any way is not healthy. > > Once some very simple behavioral interventions were put into place, my son's biting went from several times a day to 0 within a very short period of time. > > I am sorry you are scared for your child but this too, shall pass. > > > From: stacey_vips > Sent: Thursday, August 27, 2009 11:11 PM> To: sList@ yahoogroups. com > Subject: Biting in Preschool/Ese> > > My son

started Sandpiper Shores...Pre School / Ese..last Tuesday.. He is in a class with 7 children...There is a boy in class who is prone to biting(even listed in his IEP). He has already bit 3 different children since school started , one being mine.. He bit him once on Monday and a second time today..... he did not break skin, but I really don't wish to wait until that happens....I can empathize with this little boy as I am a Mom of a child with autism as well, however I don't want my child or others in class to be in danger..../be hurt.. Can this child have a shadow/aide to be with him to see this wont happen anymore.. ? I am asking for suggestions/ contacts / experiences any of you may have had regarding this situation.. I am very upset and a lil afraid to send him back to class... Thank you Kindly, Stacey...... .>

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[Guest guest]

Thank you all for your views/ experiences.. I have spoken to my son's teacher/principal/ese coordinator/south area team leader/palm beach county compliance.. and have just requested my son's incident reports from the 2 times he was bit.. They have assured me they are "working" on making sure my child/ children in the class remain safe...I will keep you all posted of the outcome.. Thank you kindly ...Regards, Stacey :-)

Subject: Re: Biting in Preschool/EseTo: sList Date: Saturday, August 29, 2009, 4:50 PM

My son was bitten several times while in public school. I talked to the teacher, the ESE specialist and an asst principal. Didn't stop. I called the local police department, met with an officer and showed him the pictures and the home notes. I then asked about how to file Reckless Endangerment charges against the ESE specialist, principal and school board.The biting stopped. I don't know why but I didn't care either.I would never blame the student or parents of the student that did the biting. The blame lies with the school for not providing a secure and safe learning environment. The teacher was not provided with the tools necessary to provide the safe learning environment, it was / is not his / her fault.I would recommend that you put it in writing and get signed copies of receipt for the ESE specialist and the principal and make calls to area ESE specialist and your district school board member and

your 2 at large school board members.The Florida State Constitution says all students are entitled to a secure education. There might be a lot of questions on how to define FAPE, but biting and secure is a no brainer.SteveAnd thank you for not blaming the student or his parents.>> My son was a biter and I was the mom who feared the days he bit other children. At that time, he seemed so unpredictable. For one child he bit, it caused a whole controversy where the father came to the school and threatened my son, us and the teacher and para. He had to be removed by security and it was a huge issue. Then, I had to fear that he would try to hurt my son or us for the rest of the time he was in

school. I had tried to speak with the child's mother on several occasions and she could not say to me that her husband would not take physical and aggressive action towards us, including my 3-4 year old! So, I know biting is in itself controversial. > > Anyway, the reason I bring this tangential item up is that biting is such an issue when stuff happens a lot in classrooms and our kids are impulsive, still learning to use their words and an adult cannot be velcro'd to them at all times to protect them and others. If the adult is velcro'd to the child, it limits their opportunities to learn new and more effective ways to interact with peers. There is all sorts of research about how this is actually detrimental for all children. Even still, a para/shadow may not always be able to prevent a biting occurrence. > > The biter should have a Functional Behavioral Assessment conducted to

determine the function of the biting behavior and then have a follow up Behavior Intervention Plan to include strategies and behavioral supports to assist the child in reducing or eliminating the behavior. It does not happen overnight. And I am sorry you fear for your child to be bitten but it happens in typical preschools too. To ostracize the child in any way is not healthy. > > Once some very simple behavioral interventions were put into place, my son's biting went from several times a day to 0 within a very short period of time. > > I am sorry you are scared for your child but this too, shall pass. > > > From: stacey_vips > Sent: Thursday, August 27, 2009 11:11 PM> To: sList >

Subject: Biting in Preschool/Ese> > > My son started Sandpiper Shores...Pre School / Ese..last Tuesday.. He is in a class with 7 children...There is a boy in class who is prone to biting(even listed in his IEP). He has already bit 3 different children since school started , one being mine.. He bit him once on Monday and a second time today.... he did not break skin, but I really don't wish to wait until that happens...I can empathize with this little boy as I am a Mom of a child with autism as well, however I don't want my child or others in class to be in danger.../be hurt.. Can this child have a shadow/aide to be with him to see this wont happen anymore.. ? I am asking for suggestions/ contacts / experiences any of you may have had regarding this situation.. I am very upset and a lil afraid to send him back to class... Thank you Kindly,

Stacey.......>------------------------------------