How Can I Stop the Ear Piercing Screeching??

My 19 month old does the same thing. I tried distracting her, etc. but what I found works the best is to absolutely ignore her. Tell her no once, then that is it. Don't look at her, don't say her name, don't tell her no again, and don't yell. Her tantrums are MUCH quicker now and less often. It's the hardest when you are in a store and tantrums begin, because you REALLY want them to be quiet so you can continue shopping, but you have to be strong and worst case scenario, just walk outside till she is done. Good luck! We all thought it was the terrible two's huh, but nobody tells you about the terrible one's! :)

Hi,

Possibly your daughter is upset but cannot communicate what she needs? You might find it helpful to sign with her. We started with only 3 signs - milk, mama, dada. It has helped TREMENDOUSLY and she has dozens of words & signs now.

The communication is two-way at this point and getting even better (she's 15 months and it took her about 4 months to really get the signing idea, from 6-7 mos old to 10-11 mos old). I bet at 14 months your daughter would be acquiring them much faster than that. Here are my two favorite links for baby signs:

http://www.mybabycantalk.com/content/dictionary/dictionar...

http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb/browser.htm

They show video for each sign so you can learn them fairly quickly. Hope this helps!

My 17 month old has (cross my fingers) started to phase this out. What we found that I think may have helped, is what the first response said. And that is to put him in his room. We tell him no screaming (or if he is crying for no reason and whining a lot, no crying) and sit him on the bed and leave. We do close the door but he can open them up. He comes waltzing out. If he continues, we don't say anything and put him back in the room. Usually, by the second time he is done.

Sometimes I just put him directly in his crib and turn out the light. After about a few minutes he has calmed down and I go get him

Hope it helps. I know this can be very annoying but eventually it will pass, even if it is on her own time!!

The way I've shortened the length of time my 15 month old screeches when I say "no" is to stick to my guns and not give in. If you give in eventually just to get her to stop the noise, you've taught her that all she has to do is hold out longer than you and she'll get her way. She has to figure out that the opposite is true- that no matter how long and how loud she screeches that "no means no", period- so eventually she'll get it that there is no point in screeching at all (beyond the initial burst of emotion that she's frustrated that she won't be getting her way). I offered my son a bite of my pizza slice and he wanted to hold it himself. I told him he can have a bite, but no hands. He screamed and walked away, then kept coming back over to try agian, and each time he held his hands out to hold it and each time I gently pushed his hands down and said "no hands, but you can take a bite" (and he screamed and walked away each time). After about 6-7 times, I told him mommy is going to eat it all gone, does he want a bite? And he came over with his hands by his side and took a bite. Depending on how stubborn your child is, it may take more than my son's 6-7 times before she gives up and realizes she can't get what she wants just because she's loud. Also, my husband has a low tolerance for meltdowns, so a couple of times he has stuck my son in his room when he screams. He doesn't close the door or put him in his crib, he just plops him in his room and walks away. I think it pretty much just shocks him so by the time he comes out of his room to find us he has forgotten what he was originally upset about!

My advice would be for you to go ahead and buy some earplugs! If she does this when she wants something or when things do not go her way then you have to ignore it. Look at what you do that encourages her to continue to use this as an attention getter. If the reinforcement from you stops then it will stop too. I know it must be hard to ignore but I think you should give it a try! Good luck! You could also try to repeat to her the word or words you want her to use when she wants something or is frustrated. When she wants something and is screaming then calmly repeat please. It may take some time but she will catch on.
K.

Oh, do I know that feeling! Try this: next time she becomes upset, get down at eye level and acknowledge her feelings. Say something like, "You're upset. You want that cookie, don't you? You may have it after dinner." Hold your ground by not going back on your decision. At this age, she is unable to reason and distraction may help. If you're able, ask her if she'd like to (dance, play a game or get a favorite toy, etc.) Some people will tell you that time out is appropriate at this age, no more than 1 min. but I suggest that if she's constantly doing this, pick your battles carefully. Save the time out for something that is important---like trying to run across the street, throwing something at someone, or pulling the dog's tail. Otherwise, you will be constantly correcting her thereby escalating tension and creating an unpleasant environment. Consistency is key. Over time her screeching will subside. Try not to think that she's doing it to get your goat, she's genuinely upset.

My 3 yr old and 10 month old boys also screech incredibly loud on a daily basis. They don't do it out of anger. They do it because it's "fun"?!? I have yet to find anything that works to get them to stop doing it. I just hope that one day it'll become less fun and they'll stop on their own. In the meantime my eardrums take a beating and you can tell which house is mine before you even knock on the door. I'm sure the neighbors LOVE us!

I know most of you won't agree with this, so there is no need to reply that you don't. But here are some ideas: Get a spray bottle and fill it with water, just squirt or two, on the chin (don't get it in their nose, set on stream)usually works while saying "No Screaming". or, Get a medicine dropper and fill it with vinegar, just a drop is all it takes a few times while firmly saying "No Screaming". I promise neither tactic hurts them. The vinegar trick also works for talking back with older kids. I am not responsible for any kids reactions should parents try these. :-)

Heather,

Kids don't know that screaming isn't acceptable. They'll do whatever it takes to get what they want/need. You MUST let her know, in no uncertain terms, that screaming is not an option. Otherwise, this 14 month old is going to turn into a screaming two year old, three year old, six year old, seventeen year old... if screaming works, that is.

I would not even acknowledge the screaming. I have told my daughter, if you're going to make that noise, you're going to make it somewhere else - and off to her room she goes. No attention at all for screaming.

Of course, if she's seriously injured or in danger that's a different story. But I have seen a TEN year old scream uncontrollably over scraped knees. I know you don't want that.