Service users that Bite

[kyu60]

Hope someone has some advice on this.....
We have a 16 year old lad just moved in to our service; he is known to bite staff when he is agitated/ anxious. He has Autism and is non-verbal. The lad has been with us for a week and has been doing really well (Honey moon period) he is extremely sensory and explores objects and people using his teeth and if you flinch/pull away he will bite. Today he bit a member of staff on the finger. We know what the trigger was and it was a communication confusion issue (now that we can work with) However during the behaviour he grabbed the staff members hand and pulled it towards his mouth as he moved his head down and bit into their finger. It was really quick and the member of staff is experienced in working with this client group but he just couldn’t get away quick enough. Yes there will have been cues that an incident was going to happen and hopefully we will see these earlier as we get to know him. Now we tried using the Studio 3 response to a bite (2nd member of staff fluttering/stroking their fingers across his face) but it didn’t work he had what he wanted and didn’t need to let go to try and get someone else, he had his focus on the finger.. He was attached for nearly 3 minutes before he let go and it appears he only let go because he was ready to. Thankfully apart from a nasty swollen finger the injury was not huge and the member of staff wasn’t fazed by it, but not all members of staff will cope in the same way..
Any thoughts on what we could try... are there other responses we can use (Yes we did ask him to let go, as well as saying let’s go get a drink, standard distractions attempts made) I know staff are going to be asking what else can we do to get him to let go. Historically its fingers he goes for but he has gone for arms, face, shoulders and heads as well and having someone biting on you for that long could do some serious physical damage. I know there are other bite responses but they generally involve inflicting pain and that’s not something that we would do to our guys.
Just want to hear any thoughts/experiences you may have that may be helpful to us.
Thanks
Kyu

[becky]

hiya Kyu

Just a thought - you have probably tried it, but have you visually showed him the distractions rather than verbally saying it. i.e. having a chocolate bar and offering it to him - even with the wrapper off so then can smell chocolate in the hope he will get go of the staff member.

Another thougth again its hard without seeing the behaviours is staff wearing some sort of glove (when he is anxious) that can be removed or will protect the staff during these close encounters. Neoprene gloves are quick thick and not too restrictive to the wearer and maybe will reduce the arousal level of the staff member as they have some protection.

Are there items that he can be given that he is able to bite. I can remember buying my son a vibrating mouth soother which was very pleasent to bite ( yes ok I did try it out). Something like this could be introduced when the client is calm.

My other only thought was ensuring that the client doesnt have any dental pain - Im sure you would have checked that out though.


Sorry I dont feel I'm being of much help - I havent been bitten for a number of years.

All the Best

Bexs

[Hans]

Hi Kyu

I am wondering whether it is necesary to be close to him, when he gets anxious. Perhaps the distance can make the lad calmer and not having to bite. It certainly also ensures the staff, that they can move around instead of getting grapped. I don´t know whether you hae tried it or whether it is possible in your setting, but that will be the first thought in my head.

For the work with coping or even changing the behaviour a totally agrre with Becky. You will need to do some research on why he bites, before you make a decision how to work with it.

Hope that it will be possible for you to get around it.

All the best

Hans