- Parents often worry about aggressive behaviors in young children.
- Aggression should be understood in the context of the child’s age and developmental stage.
- Babies under 12 months may bite or pull hair, especially while nursing, but these actions are exploratory, not intentionally harmful.
- Infants lack the cognitive and problem-solving skills to act with intent to hurt.
- The best response is a firm, calm “no” or “stop,” without anger, to set clear boundaries.
- Using consistent gestures alongside verbal responses reinforces understanding across different situations.
Understanding Aggression in Infants
A calm, clear response is important when discouraging aggressive behavior in children under 12 months old.
Nina Sand-Loud, MD, Child Development
