My daughter recently turned 2 and has developed a biting problem.  This is a new behavior, and so far she only bites when she's happy and playing with us.  It doesn't seem to be linked to frustration.

On a side note, when she tries to say "r" it comes out "awe," which I have previously noticed in older children.  I am just wondering if it is normal for toddlers learning to speak to have trouble with enunciating, or if she should be able to say "r" properly at this age.

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Try having your daughter squeeze a soft stuffed animal such as a bear to replace the biting.  It appears as if she is getting overwhelmed with joy and happiness having this special time playing with mom and dad.  This could be sensory overload, and she doesn't know what to do with the overabundance of emotion or how to communicate this feeling of real pleasure due to her young age.  You can re-direct the unwanted behavior by saying "no biting, that hurts" and handing her the bear to squeeze.  You can also hand her a Grabber or Y-Chew for her to bite on instead of you. Other alternatives include speaking with her doctor, reading up on sensory overload in books/magazine articles/info on the web, giving her time out (2 minutes for her age), etc.

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As far as the r-sound goes, she is just too young to produce this sound correctly yet.  This sound is a late developing sound which may not be used correctly until the age of 8 years according to some studies.  However, to help with developing this sound, you can read to her out loud, emphasizing this sound when it occurs in words.  She may not be able to produce it correctly, but she can still hear this sound being pronounced correctly.  This is called auditory bombardment and should be used in articulation therapy.  Hopefully, you won’t have to concern yourself with this.   You are a wonderful mom and a role model for others to follow.  Keep up the good work!

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All my best, 

Debbie

Debra C. Lowsky, MS, CCC-SLP

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