When a 6mo is hysterically startled by a sneeze...

[BlueWolf]

... would you say that's a sensory issue?

Not my baby, but my niece. If something sudden happens, like a sneeze or a dog bark or a door shutting... she will hysterically start crying. SIL says she has to be very careful on how she sneezes and tries to suppress the sneeze in order to prevent the melt down.

Is this a normal baby thing (my daughter never did anything like this) or is something else involved here?

[SomethingAnonymous]

I think it's normal... mine does the same thing.

[Mamabeakley]

Yeah, within the range of normal, I'd say.

[jammomma]

My son has cried at sneezes, I think it's probably normal.

[elmh23]

A six month old? I vote it's in the normal range.

[BlueWolf]

Thanks guys! Everyone was a bit worried, SIL (babies mother) and my mom included. It's nice to know it's in the range of normal.

[curious&eager]

My DS does the same thing. DH talked to him too loud the other day with an excited voice and DS got a terrified look and cried. At 8 months I say he's doing it a lot less, but he will still panic and jump into my arms but not always cry. He used to cry 10 times worse over a loud sound than a vaccine shot.

[odoole]

I was just about to post this same question. My DS is 7 mo and had at least 10 meltdowns yesterday because of noise. Sneeze, ice machine, cough, barking, to name a few ...

This is definitely not normal behavior for him. He's been sick and was very sleep deprived yesterday and I guess just generally more emotionally labile. He seems better now, I hope.

[2boyzmama]

Originally Posted by odoole

I was just about to post this same question. My DS is 7 mo and had at least 10 meltdowns yesterday because of noise. Sneeze, ice machine, cough, barking, to name a few ...

This is definitely not normal behavior for him. He's been sick and was very sleep deprived yesterday and I guess just generally more emotionally labile. He seems better now, I hope.

If it's a change, and he's sick, I might wonder about his ears. You know how everything sounds distorted if you have water in your ears, or you're congested with a cold? That might be throwing him off.

[Kelly1101]

Another vote for normal. When mine was younger, if someone sneezed or made a sudden loud noise she would completely FREAK. OUT. Especially if she was sleepy or nearing sleep, oh man.

She grew out of it recently... around 8 months probably. (She's 10 months now).

[Xavismom]

DS gets very startled by certain noises, he does not like sneezing either. I am especially carefull to try not to sneeze while nursing, since one time I did and he clamped down on my nipple really hard! OUCH!

DH has always done this certain laugh to be funny, it sounds like a vampire laugh or something... anyways, he tried it once on DS once trying to entertain him during a diaper change. I was in the kitchen and heard DS crying hysterically after the laugh, it really startled him! We had to nurse to get him to stop poor thing.

He also hates the sound of the microwave door shutting.

But the dogs (ear piercing) barking and howling right next to him, even when he is asleep usually doesnt even cause a blink. Babies are so mysterious sometimes!

[JayJay]

Oh I think I'll have one like that too...

Once, when I was about 34 or 35 weeks pregnant, I farted in the bath and she almost jumped through my abdominal wall. It really was quite hysterically hilarious!

[odoole]

Originally Posted by Kelly1101

Another vote for normal. When mine was younger, if someone sneezed or made a sudden loud noise she would completely FREAK. OUT. Especially if she was sleepy or nearing sleep, oh man.

She grew out of it recently... around 8 months probably. (She's 10 months now).

Yeah, that's the same here regarding falling asleep. I think babies feel very vulnerable as they're falling asleep. If you think about it, it's a very trusting thing to let down your guard like that and allow yourself to sleep. Along with noise, I once tried to give him medicine as he was falling asleep, and I also once tried to squirt saline drops up his nose as he was falling asleep, and both ended in disaster. He was hysterical, and it ruined not only that nap, but the subsequent nap as well. Even a couple hours later he would scream every time he was close to sleep, and once he finally managed to fall asleep, he was sobbing the whole way through. It broke my heart! I felt like I destroyed sleep for him forever.

If it's a change, and he's sick, I might wonder about his ears. You know how everything sounds distorted if you have water in your ears, or you're congested with a cold? That might be throwing him off.

HMM , interesting thought, I'll keep an eye on his ears, but he really seems to be better now. As mentioned above, I really think it was his sleepiness due to a bad sicky night prior that was setting him off yesterday.

[Xavismom]

Originally Posted by JayJay

Oh I think I'll have one like that too...

Once, when I was about 34 or 35 weeks pregnant, I farted in the bath and she almost jumped through my abdominal wall. It really was quite hysterically hilarious!

That really just made me LOL!!

[JMJ]

My DD used to get scared and cry when I sneezed. So I smiled at her every time I sneezed to show her that everything was OK. Now, she thinks sneezes are hillarious!