Babble

My 7-month-old has found his voice and isn't afraid to use it. In addition to babbling, he screams and screeches to express happiness and excitement. While I'm happy that he's verbalizing, the noise could shatter glass, and I don't want it to become a permanent part of his vocabulary (I've seen it with other babies, and I'm afraid it will happen with mine).

I know it's not easy to train a 7-month-old to do much, but has anyone dealt with this? Is there a way to curtail it before it gets worse? Thanks!

If it's really a concern, try not to encourage it by responding at all.  Just ignore the behavior.  Ideally, once the novelty wears off for your son, he'll stop--having never discovered what a fun game it is to make people laugh and shsh him when he screams. 

My daughter is 8-months-old and also went through a brief screetching phase.  It didn't last long, and I just let her make whatever noise she felt like making at the time without really reponding.  It was over before I knew it. 

Lucky for me, I'm hearing impaired, so I don't hear the screeching at all.  The frequency of the screeching is higher than what I can hear, so I'm a big hit at little kid birthday parties!

 Just try not to encourage it, and maybe invest in some earplugs in the meantime.  They (thankfully) outgrow it!

While walking around a Carter's store yesterday, I witnessed a mom and daughter--about a year?--engaged in a battle of the wills.  Baby screeched.  Mom fussed: "Stop it!  Stop it right now!  Mommy said, 'no!'  You listen very well!"  Baby screeched some more.

Not to be condescending, but just don't.  Let the phase ride it's course, and don't worry if your baby makes noise in a public place.  It was a baby store for goodness sake, not a five-star restaurant! 

Uggh! Nothing bugs me more than a parent trying to reason with a kid as if it were an adult. I like looking kids in the eye and saying, "Stop!" very firmly. After that, they're removed from wherever we are and we sit in the car where I ignore them until they calm down. I always find that there's an employee who is willing to keep my cart near the registers for me until I get back. I think they'd much rather watch my things than listen to my kids.

Hi there!

I totaly am with you on this one!my little girl is 7 months and for the past month she has started screeching and screaming which is more than most babys who babble and coo.I was considering wether to take her to the doctors as it seems 80% of her wake time is screeching,and if i put her down she does the same.I try to ignore it most of the time and really feel for my neighbours as i am semi-detached.Even if i ignore her it seems to make her louder.I cant hold her constantly as i have a busy house and 2 other girls aswell as two dogs and i didnt ever have my other two do this,it kind of stesses me a little as the only time she stops is if im holding her!! I try to get so many things to take her attention away from doing it but as soon as we come down stairs until she gets her breakfast she screeches and then most of the day if not being held.My husband jokes and says she is very vocal like me,yet he can tottle off to work for a bit of respite from it.Im happy that she vocalising but i worry that it dosent tail off and i find myself picking her up alot to keep the quiet!!

LOL...I'm having the same problem with my 5 month old. It started about a month ago and has not stopped since. She is constantly screaming her head off.

My 5-month-old is the same. We say he has discovered the joys of loud.

I've found that a trick that seems to work for us. I don't discourage the screeching, but I respond by speaking really quietly. Sometimes I whisper right in his ear. It seems to fascinate him and he slowly turns down the volume.

 -- Jillian

Thank you so much folks for running this discussion thread! I SO BADLY  needed help with the same issue...hopefully my 6 month old son's screeching will calm down too...

my four mouth old is screaming when she is happy or frustrated, so far nothing seems to effect this, if shes frrustrated i play with her and she starts smilling away and playing and screaming. it gets to be painfully loud. How do you not encourage them not to scream?