oh, the Screeching!!! What is this?

[JordanKX]

DS is 10.5 months. And he's developed a Screech in the past few days. It's replaced his happy sounds, his unhappy.... he's even lost his cry. Waking up from a nap, it'll be a squeal and if I'm no there fast enough, the Screech will happen.

It's at a pitch I can't replicate - I've tried. It's High. It's Loud. It's... never-ending. It's definitely happy. And most certainly... Get Over here Now. My mom was over today for 1/2 hr and it didn't stop - she didn't know what to say. My MIL says he'll get over it as fast as it came on, so don't worry.

I'm not worried. I'm... curious. I don't know how to react to it. I've been trying to ignore the screech, while not ignoring DS. For example, if he screeches while asking to be picked up, I pick him up. But if he's just screeching while crawling around and finding toys, I don't encourage nor disencourage. I just ignore it. It's a hard one.

Is this normal?

[jenfl]

My DS is 4 months and just got into the same thing (although he's never done it for 30 minutes!). We think he's just excited to discover that he can make such a loud noise. I'm hoping we get happy babbles back soon!

[tzs]

ha ha. yep!
sounds like you've got it figured out.

[Quinalla]

Yeah, my DD discovered a screech ~5months and again ~6.5months, it didn't last long for her and she luckily never did it for 30 minutes!! But yeah, I did about the same as you, didn't respond to it if possible and tried to not give any big reactions to it even as my ears cried out in pain. It definitely seemed for her that it was "Wow, I can make this really cool noise!" and she got over it pretty quickly (a couple days).

[Norasmomma]

My DD was a screecher, she would screech in the grocery store and it was ear splitting. Honestly she did it for a really loooonnnggg time before she stopped.
I got accosted by an elderly couple because DD did it in the store at the check out, she was 19 months and pretty big(looked like a 3 y/o size wise). The people asked me very rudely if she was mentally ill when I said no the man went off on me asking me "why I even had kids" and "What a terrible mother I was."

DS hasn't been a screecher.....yet.

[SomedayMaybe3]

Ds just left that stage! Finally. It was so bad that when i went to visit my parents, my father couldn't even stay in the house because the screeching was so random and ear piercing. lol...He's 16 months old so i just tried saying, NO! we don't screech in the house...He stopped. When he was younger and he would screech i would look at him and so O My, then i would say lets try this...then would make some other noise...like vroom vroom. or ba ba ba...anything low toned..That worked for both of my kiddos. HTH

[Xavismom]

DS (8mo) does this a lot, a loud happy screech. I must be totally crazy because I love it?? It cracks me up. He hasnt done it in public yet though, so maybe I wont love it so much then...

[JordanKX]

Originally Posted by Xavismom

DS (8mo) does this a lot, a loud happy screech. I must be totally crazy because I love it?? It cracks me up. He hasnt done it in public yet though, so maybe I wont love it so much then...

i Loved it when it was the happy screech, the oh I'm so glad you picked me up or yay, I'm going to tackle you now! These are fun! What I don't like so much is that the screech has now taken over all other forms of speech. it's ALL he does (especially no longer crying, just screeching... is... odd).

I appreciate your advice, guys. I've been doing low tones back at him all day - he screeches, I do a truck sound or an animal sound, something low and still just as fun. And it kind of confuses him for a moment. It seems to be working a bit.

Again, I know it's just a phase... I'm not really "worried" or "mad".... the first two days I was just bewildered at how to deal with it. But we're working on it! :-)

[hildare]

this is funny.. my dd went through a screech phase, too.
i noticed one day that she seemed to like to screech more in certain places than others, and i have a theory that she was testing the acoustics. she'd especially like to screech in the hallway where it made a different sound and crawl through, sounding off the walls like a baby bat. i honestly think that is what all that's about for the most part!

[Coconut Chronicles]

DS went through this stage for about a month or so... totally normal.

[sunshinegal]

We call it the pterodactyl call. It is mighty powerful and, at times, can make everyone around cringe and cover their ears. We are all trying to be patient with this, but I can't wait until it is over.

[JordanKX]

Originally Posted by sunshinegal

We call it the pterodactyl call. It is mighty powerful and, at times, can make everyone around cringe and cover their ears. We are all trying to be patient with this, but I can't wait until it is over.

um, YEAH!!! I'm stealing your name for it because... Exactly!!!!

[Xavismom]

Originally Posted by sunshinegal

We call it the pterodactyl call. It is mighty powerful and, at times, can make everyone around cringe and cover their ears. We are all trying to be patient with this, but I can't wait until it is over.

I am stealing the name for this too LOL!! Too funny.

DS has started a new one this week too, kind of a reverse type screeching he does when he takes a breath IN. I think its his 'victory' screech, because he usually does it after he pulls himself up to stand. He just totally makes me crack up.

[october]

Originally Posted by Norasmomma

I got accosted by an elderly couple because DD did it in the store at the check out, she was 19 months and pretty big(looked like a 3 y/o size wise). The people asked me very rudely if she was mentally ill when I said no the man went off on me asking me "why I even had kids" and "What a terrible mother I was."

just reading this made my blood boil. I just, I'm boiling. Had to comment, or I'd boil over.
Seriously.