Allow 10 Month Old to Shriek?

Look what a cool sound I can make, Mommy! I think they all go through an experimental stage when ever they learn a new skill. It's tempting to get ear plugs. When my son would start acting up in the super market, I'd get really close up to his face and try to interest him with my hands and talk to him quietly, and maybe tickle him a little. I could almost always get his attention. The only time it wouldn't work was if he was over tired or hungry. He'll grow out of it soon enough.

Has he been to doctor since this began? Does he have any symptoms of an ear infection, or exhibit behavior indicating a hearing loss issue?

Oh.....he's found his voice and it is super fun for him.
I honestly believe all babies do this because they're either excited or they figure out they have voice levels.
It's not the end of the world that he cried when you told him no to shrieking. They do have to learn sooner or later to pipe it down a bit.
My trick was whispering. If my babies or my daycare kids got loud, I just started speaking very softly. They couldn't hear me. So....they would quit to listen to what I was saying. They could see my lips moving and knew I was talking, but they couldn't hear me unless they were quiet. It really worked. So we did the whisper game.
The other thing I did, which might seem strange when they wanted to shriek was turn the vacuum cleaner on. I'd sing la la la la la la la la. You'd think they'd get louder, but they didn't. I worked on it a lot at home because I didn't want them sreeching at the top of their lungs in the store or at the doctor's office.
It just takes some time and patience and they really do get over it. Plug your ears. Say you can't hear them when they're shrieking.
Whispering really worked best for my kids.
They got over it.

I hope you get some great responses.

Normal baby behavior. If you don't react (or simply react with, "that's a nice shriek," and nothing else), he'll likely get tired of it and stop soon. I know its frustrating - but your ears will survive (mine did!).

Oh man ... my 10-month-old likes to do this as well. It has gotten to the point where my husband and I are embarrassed to take him to a restaurant. LOL .. I'm pretty sure its normal behavior though and I'm just praying that my son gets over it soon. I try to ignore it at home so he doesn't get the pleasure of mommy's reaction. But when we are in public I TRY to calmly tell him "No" and "Use your inside voice." So far when I say that he just looks at me and then shrieks some more. ugh ... if there is a solution let me know!! Otherwise I think we will just have to wait it out.

Good luck!

I would just try to react as calmly as you can...he is doing this because of the reaction that he is getting from you..it is a "game" to him!!! Try to just calmly ask him not to do this because it "Hurt's Mama's ears'. Don't react physically or with a facial expression, that just encourages him. When you quit reacting, it will soon lose it's appeal to him

One of my babies did do this and I would put him in his crib, say no and walk away, closing the door. I would return when the shreiking stopped. Yes, he would often be crying at that point, but he quickly got the point and his shreiking stage was very short-lived (only a few days).

Oh my, I had a baby in my daycare who did this and I thought I was going to go out of my mind. Unfortunately, ignoring him only gave him more power and now he does it ALL the time when hes tired, irritated, or being ignored, or doesnt get his way etc. I wish I would have done something differently or was more stern about it. I totally understand what your going through tho and feel bad for your ears.

I think that every kid does this, but it should NOT be tolerated. It's not annoying to the parents, but it's totally annoying to see a screaming kid when you're out in public. My sister let her son do this and just ignored it, and I told myself that when I had kids I'd NEVER let them get away with it. So, when my kids started it, I said NO! and lightly popped them in the mouth. The behavior didn't last. It's not like I hurt them when I popped them, but rather just surprised them.

If you don't want it to continue, you need to do something about it. My son did it for a couple days around 9m, we called it his dinosaur stage. I would stop whatever we were doing: eating, playing, books... and say, "That hurts my ears, Mommy can't ___________ with you if you're going to scream." Then I'd walk out of the room. Kids want to be w/you, so it will stop real quick. You don't have to be out of the room but a min. and can resume your activity shortly after.

I would ask the pediatrician if you could put something like lemon juice in a squirt bottle and squirt it in his mouth when he shrieks. It could be a really fun game for him if you don't find a way to stop it.

It will be very annoying if he does it around friends or family.

It's totally normal. My son did it at about the same age, it is a development thing. I let my son do it and only stopped it if we were in a restaurant or other quiet place. And then I made it about not being noisy (using inside voice, I started telling him that at this age) and let him shriek to his content the rest of the time. My son seemed to understand after a while that it was only inappropriate in public, and it is a pretty short lived stage anyways. I actually miss it now, I always thought it was funny.

Oh my goodness, we thought the windows were going to break. Who knew such a tiny thing could make such an ear splitting noise? The best reaction is a calm one - not ignoring, but a calm "use your inside voice please" and also let them do it at will outside. They are really after the reaction you give. It's not easy to stay calm because you think you're having a heart attack for a second, but you might as well start practicing because remaining calm when you really don't feel it is going to be your best friend in the future. Just wait till he turns 2!!

...and the worst is when its in the car when you're driving! My daughter loves to scream, still, and she's 2.5 yr now. When she was younger I tried everything from the STERN "NO", to ignoring, to pulling the car over. Maybe DISTRACTION will work--that was my primary behavior mngt tool until a year and a half old. I think ignoring would only work if your son were older, but at this age, I think he is in explore/discovery mode, not trying to be "naughty". I dont' know...you'll have to experiment--just try not to let him see you overly frustrated (*good luck!*).

My parenting motto is: a time and a place for everything--so we allow screaming outside and not at/near other's ears. We don't allow screaming in the house or esp the car. If my daughter wants to scream, we let her...she goes OUTSIDE.

He has discovered his vocal chords! JOY! NOT! He has also discovered that you will react to that particular noise.

I would ignore it at home, but if you are out in a restaurant, you cannot let it interrupt other diners. It is time to teach him the phrase "inside voice". Just put your hand on his arm and say "shhhh. Inside voice" quietly and calmly. He may not react at first, it takes time to learn new behaviors.

Good Luck!

when he first shrieks, pick him up, set him in his bed, and say "don't shriek"
he is quite capable of learning what you mean....he's learned that you react when he does this! good luck!

What might work is to take him to his room or another safe place and shut the door. Tell him he can come out when he is through making the noise. Every time (when you're home). Be calm and firm and it might go away quickly. If you don't want to leave him alone, try a time out corner.
Good luck!

continue to tell him no when he does it. if he cries he will get over it. teach him now right from wrong. it wont make since to him if at two you decide to tell him no for something he has been doing over a year.