My daughter is almost two and has suddenly started licking people. It's been just me and her dad so far. She's been spending a lot of time away from us and with her grandparents during the summer and we just moved to a new apartment so I don't know if that has anything to do with it or not. I'm really confused about why she would be doing this and if it's normal or not and what I should be doing about it. Does anyone have any ideas?
P.S. We don't have dogs, but the grandparents do.
She is doing what the dogs do for a kiss. Don't pay too much attention. Tell her you would like to receive a kiss with a pucker. She'll eventually get it. Not weird. She's just testing stuff out.
We have a dog & our 2 yr old son went through a licking phase. We always just said, "Dogs lick, we give kisses" and would give him lots & lots of kisses. It was a cute little game & sometimes he even still plays it!
It has to be the exposure to the dogs at grandparents house. She's trying to kiss you, because thats what the dogs do. My son does the same thing and we are trying to break him from it. Just keep explaining to her that she's not a dog. It will get better.
Do you have any pets? I know my daughter licks us because she sees our two dogs licking us. We tease that we have three dogs because she trys to imitate them in different ways.
J.,
I had to laugh and say thank you for the post - now I know I'm not alone! My 28 month old does this, too. He thinks it's just hysterical when Mama or Daddy (or anyone) comes in for a kiss and gets a licking instead. Gross, I know, but it will probably pass. In the meantime, just remember it as a great story to embarass her with in the future!
My daughter does it too!! She is 18 mos and she had been doing it for awhile. I just asked my son and he says she licks him too. She laughs and giggles when she does it and wants to see what I do. We do have dogs and my mom has dogs. She sees Mickey Mouse Clubhouse too and Pluto licks on that show. I ask her if she is a doggy and she gets all excited and says "yes" and does it again. Then I tickle her or kiss her lots and we move on. I don't think it is anything to worry about at all! Oh, and it is never really licks our skin. It is our clothes like by my stomach to my chest in this big motion upward. That is what made me think like a cartoon because real dogs don't do that. She likes to be silly and we all laugh and get silly.
From what I have read it would be really early for this, so don't panic, but licking CAN be a tic, which if it goes on for a year and she starts to have other tics (sniffing, eye blinking, throat clearing, etc) can be Tourette's Syndrome.
A tic is essentially something repetitive that a child MAY be able to suppress when you ask them to for awhile, but then after suppressing it, they will then tic MORE because of having to suppress it.
Typically onset of tics is age 6-7. If you're worried and notice other symptoms, a neurologist appt may be a good idea to rule out a disorder.
Hugs,
M.
My kids have never, ever been around any animals (no one has any pets), yet my daughter went through a major licking stage when she was 9-13 months...before she starting talking. My worst memory is that she licked the floor of the Dr. office -- YUCK!!! I have been told that there is a huge amount of sensory input via the mouth that is sent to the brain, and that this is one way babies/kids can get information and learn. We didn't worry about it (and really couldn't do much about it), and one day it just disappeared. You can always ask your Ped at the 2 yr old check-up, but I don't think you have anything to worry about! Cheers!!
I really wouldn't worry about it. My daughter did the same thing. I think they do it because they want to see a reaction from you. And if you laugh they think it is funny so they are going to want to do it again. So do not worry just encourage her not to lick people.
