5 Month Old Started Screaming

My son did the same thing around that age...it drove me crazy! I was just a stage and I did my best to not give him any attention when he screamed. It lasted less than a month and he stopped! Good luck

Hi K.! I have a son who just turned 1 yesterday (YAAAAYYY!!!). But anyway, I think it's just a baby thing. My son has been doing it for a few months and is still doing it. It started with him screaming while he was playing and "talking" to himself, but now when he cries he screams. It drives me nuts more than it makes me feel bad, because I know he isn't hurting or anything. He just does it. He didn't get it from anywhere because there no other babies around us. My mom has twin foster kids that are about 8 months old and they do it even worse. lol My daughter (who's 5 now) never really did that, so when he started it really caught me off guard, but over the years I've become really good at tuning things out. lol I just added that to the list. But no, he probably didn't get it from anywhere, and for the record I've pretty much given up on public places until he gets a couple months older. The last time we went out to dinner, he was banging things against the table and throwing things on the floor and of course, SCREAMING when I took it from him...lol. Honestly, there's really nothing you can do until he grows it out. lol Hope this helps! :-)

Hi K.! I LOVE Terra's advice! I do exactly what she suggests - my daughter and I have screaming/screeching matches at home when my hubby isn't home (it's too HOT to go outside, lol!), and I make other funny sounds when we're out or when hubby's home (he doesn't like it...). My daughter is now almost 14 mos, but I think around 5 months is when it started, and now we continue it, as she is STILL figuring out what sounds her amazing little mouth can make! :D

Also, remember this "there's a time and place for everything" - it'll come in handy over the next two years as we teach our children that very concept...they are learning, not "pushing boundaries" or doing things to make us mad; they are just simply learning 1) that they can do "this" (whatever it is!), and 2) how Mommy and others react. By keeping most experiences positive, the lessons will be learned easier and faster, with less frustration from you, and fewer tears from your beautiful son! Best of luck!

The best thing to do is to just ignore him and give him no attention, eye contact, touching or reaction when he screams. Whenever he uses appropriate "talking", then lavish him with attention and praise. It'll be difficult at first, but if everyone who comes in contact with him does that, then he'll soon stop screaming. Good luck!

ditto... ignore it. He's just experimenting. It'll go away. I remember my kids going through a lot of strange vocalizations along the way!

Just ignore it--if he doesn't get any kind of response from you, he'll stop doing it (eventually). He'll do a lot more embarrassing things in public than screaming as he gets older, so consider this your practice round! :) Good luck!

I honestly think it's a phase b/c my 5 month old (08/05/08) does this and has since she was 4 months old. I say it's apart of their discovery process and will pass eventually.

I agree with the other posts - I have two boys, 2yoa and 5yoa... they both did it for a bit and then stopped on their own. My 5 yoa was so loud - his Aunt's started calling him Pterodactyl, affectionaltey, of course and my 2 yoa was called Screech! Niether does it anymore and I really can not recall when it stopped but, it does stop... eventually, you get used to hearing it and don't even notice.... Good luck!

Hey K.. I too live in McDonough. I have a 3 year old boy, a 7 year old daughter, and a baby on the way:) What your son is doing will probably just be a shortlived stage. They go through so many changes and different behaviors in that first year! I would try talking calmly to him when he starts this, and try to divert his attention. You may have to remove him from the setting at times. At 5 months babies aren't really able to understand negative consequences. I would tell him no, but you will probably have to try diverting his attention or find another way to calm him down- maybe with music, or a favorite toy that he likes to hear. Try talking softly so that he has to be quiet to hear you. Don't worry- there will be many behaviors much more serious than this:) and eventually they grow out of a lot of them!

I think it's inevitable, so don't come down too hard on the little girl or her mom. I didn't ignore it when my baby went through this, I would try to shush him. But it didn't make any difference, he would just get so excited he couldn't contain himself. They just seem to be amazed at this age at the great big sounds they can make.

Hi K.,
I am a mom of four, ages 15 yrs, 9 yrs, 2 1/2 yrs, and 1 yr. I also have my degree in early childhood education/child development and owned my own in-home daycare for six years, so I've beeen exposed to many different children. Your friend's daughter probably has little to nothing to do with your son's screaming. He is at the stage of develpment when most babies discover their own "voice" so to speak and he will continue to try louder and softer tones. Although alot of people don't realize this, even at this age your son is taking into account how you react to him and the different things he does. He does not understand that screaming is not necessarily a socially acceptable behavior. He probably sees your reaction to it, and even if it is not a good reaction, it is still a reaction. He thinks "if I do this, mommy gives me attention". He is too young to know what NO means, but if it is bothering you that much I would try redirecting him to something else, like another sound (try animal sounds) when you are in a situation where he should not scream. Then take him to a place were he can scream, such as outside, and scream with him! I know this sounds funny, but you will be teaching him that there is an appropriate place to be loud and one to be quiet. Also, don't expect a change overnight, it takes YEARS for his mind to understand the difference between right and wrong. Try to enjoy the fact that he is indeed acting just like a baby :)
Hope this helps, enjoy your son

We totally let our son scream and express himself at home - after all he lives here too. When I've had enough I simply say "Okay, that's enough screaming now!" Don't stress about it. He's learning all about himself and his world. As with any behavior that you fear he may have "picked up from someone" or "learned it was okay to do such and such" you just simply tell him "it's not okay to do such and such. Even if Sally did that it's not okay for you to." Obviously he is too young right now to really understand what you are saying but as he grows older he will get the idea. You just let him know the behaviors that are appropriate and those that aren't.