10 month old squealing

awec

Our 10 month old has unfortunately developed this habit of letting out incredibly loud, and very high pitched screeches. At times she will do it constantly. It is so bad that it makes people jump, and it's honestly at the stage now where we don't feel we can really bring her anywhere.

It seems to be her way of expressing her frustration at something, she seems to do it instead of crying (honestly, I would far prefer the crying).

Sometimes it's when she hungry, but many times she'll refuse the bottle and food. Other times it's when she's tired, but she's a great sleeper doing 12-13 hours a night no bother and good naps during the day. I honestly think she just does it sometimes because she realises that she can, and that she gets attention for it.

Did anyone else's child go through a phase like this? This has been getting steadily worse for months for us, to the point now where my wife is nearly broken by it.

Any tips? Or do we just need to go with it and just avoid taking her anywhere as much as possible until it stops? She's starting creche in January, so it'll be less of a problem for us personally, but I am sure the poor folks in the creche won't enjoy it too much.

margo321

distraction works sometimes. Makes them forget what they're doing but their not getting attention as such for it. try a toy or pet or game etc. good luck.

shesty

Yep.My first had a shriek that literally would shatter glass.Entire rooms hushed when she did it -and she did it continuously.She was worst in a large or new place where she literally liked to try out the acoustics.She still does it (at 4.5) in carparks or places she knows will be echoey-it's muted, but she will throw a few shouts out to hear the echoes.The shrieks she did when small though-oh god.Everyone we know still remembers them.
9/10 months is a classic time for this to start.Same with my second, only her shrieks didn't quite have the same pitch to them!!Literally they are finding their voices and trying to communicate.I found with my second the best thing to cut it short was to stop and communicate with her-so if she was shrieking in the highchair I would literally stop and say are you hungry?do you want food?or do you want more?and go get it.Not always possible(and no.1.just liked the sound!!), but it helped.
Apparently it is often a sign that the child will be a good talker/communicater....so there is that...!!!(and believe me, both of mine are)But it should wear off in few months, just chat away to her.Also-the bigger your reaction, the more they will try it out-just to see your reaction. ;-) they are little buggers that way!

Foweva Awone

I know exactly what you're talking about, I've seen it with my own child and nieces and nephews around that age. I personally think it may be to do with teething - when they're experiencing low-level pain from it, not enough to make them cry but just enough to annoy them. It could be that making noise alleviates it somewhat? The vibrations in the mouth, or something?

The good news is that it doesn't last forever and that it's totally normal! Only thing you can really do is distract them - try giving her something cold to suck on. I wouldn't let it put you off bringing her out anywhere though - anyone who's ever been around babies knows that noises like that are quite normal and there's not much you can do about it!

Liam McPoyle

Could be that she knows it will get a reaction / attention? Our guy went through a phase of banging his head when he got annoyed with us or wanted attention. At first we would automatically try and sooth him and get him to stop which he didn't. So then when he did it we simply turned our back to him and pottered around til he stopped, then we would give him attention and ask him what he wanted. It seems to have worked as he hasn't done it in three months.

It could also be that she is testing the limits with ye. Our guy now at 19 months can something's be a pain in the Arse to change his nappy, especially if he has pooed however for the child minder all she does is call him over and tells him to lie on the changing mat which he does and remains still for the duration.

They are little punks and learn from an early age exactly what buttons to press!

awec

Thanks all!

Yea we've tried distracting her and it sometimes works temporarily. At least it sounds like she'll grow out of it in a few months.

I was thinking about the teething actually, she is in the middle of that now. Her screaming is definitely worse when she's tired, after she wakes up in the morning for example we usually get an hour of peaceful bliss before it all starts again for the day. Today was a particularly bad day, but she has a tooth just breaking through.

We have tried the ignoring it thing to see if it is attention seeking, but it's very hard to ignore it in public places because everyone just ends up looking at you wondering why you're not doing something about it.

I'm looking forward to the day she understands being told no!

Liam McPoyle

If she's suffering badly with her teeth I can't recommend calgel highly enough. Our pharmacy doesn't have it on the shelf but they keep a stash behind the counter if it's asked for. I've used it myself on mouth ulcers and it's savage stuff altogether.

shesty

Teeth definitely make it worse!you have my sympathy OP, I remember it well!(currently have a teething seven month old but no shrieking...yet).And you are right about the public places things, it's so awkward.
To be fair,most parents who hear you are thinking..."is that my child?no?grand. ;-)

Milly33

I find this one so odd, I dont see the problem with the squealling at all. Herself does it out of fun and we both this tis gas. Is it like a really angry squeal or what?

awec

Milly33 wrote: »

I find this one so odd, I dont see the problem with the squealling at all. Herself does it out of fun and we both this tis gas. Is it like a really angry squeal or what?

It is a super high pitched, incredibly loud squeal that is genuinely painful to listen to. And it's very frequent. It's often so bad that any other babies in the vicinity will burst into tears when they hear it.

This is not baby having fun playful squeals.

shesty

This isn't a "fun" squeal, this was high pitched shrieking (in our case!), that causes everyone in a few hundred metre vicinity to stop and look around and literally go "oh my god, what's that?" (i have been there-supermarket queues, coffee shops, the odd restaurant, any crowded space)....conversation stops.
It is pretty mortifying and becomes hard to deal with.Having fun is a very different noise.

Milly33

really!! god i hope they grow out of it for ye.. Kids are so funny the things that they do.. I know that is ultra helpfull sorry

Electric Nitwit

Business Cat wrote: »

If she's suffering badly with her teeth I can't recommend calgel highly enough. Our pharmacy doesn't have it on the shelf but they keep a stash behind the counter if it's asked for. I've used it myself on mouth ulcers and it's savage stuff altogether.

+1 on the calgel

We've not found anywhere here selling it though. Luckily I'm up north often enough and pick it up there