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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

16 mo constantly screeching!

21 replies

PatsyJ · 12/09/2006 16:35

DD is v active and always has been (doesn't like sleep v much during the day!!) and always on the go! For the last few days she has started screeching/whinging (esp if she doesn't get her own way) or just generally if she feels she is not getting enough attention (I do try and give her lots of attention but she seems to be getting worse and won't play by herself even for a few mins!). I just can't keep up with her!

Is her behaviour normal? DH honestly thinks she is hyperactive! Have to say she seems more 'lively', highy strung than other kids I know her age. I don't feed her any processed stuff so no 'e' numbers etc... so don't think diet contributes. I just keep telling myself she is curious/bright to try and feel better!!

HELP!!!!!

OP posts:

TenaLady · 12/09/2006 17:18

Try the health visitor, she will have tests or ways of checking her progress.
Hyperactivity and screeching/crying maybe good reason for this and they can get it early.

Apparently bright children still could be diagnosed as autistic with a certain behavioural problem.

I am not suggesting that this is the case as I am no expert but just get her checked out.

Original poster

PatsyJ · 12/09/2006 22:07

Thanks TL. I had thought it was just 'normal' for her to be this active but I am starting to think it's a bit more....

Anyone else got any experiences they can share please? HV a bit useless really.

DD is walking (started at 15 mths), talking - quite a few words for her age and shows a big interest in books etc. She just seems to want to 'run' everywhere rather than walk and this screeching when she isn't happy or is frustrated about something.

OP posts:

Original poster

PatsyJ · 13/09/2006 09:32

Can anyone give their experiences/advice please
I really don't want to involve HV at this stage....

OP posts:

mcnoodle · 13/09/2006 10:26

PJ I have a 15mo ds who is also very active and seems more hyper than many of his chums. From about 12months he gets very upset and frustrated in certain situations (nappy change as he hates being made to lie down, taking things off him, waiting for food) and more clingy than before. This gets much worse if he is tired so I have a pretty strict routine about naptimes. I did sleep training which was very hard cos he doesn't give in easily, but it has really helped and he now sleeps well in the day.

I don't really think you have too much to worry about. Your ds sounds bright and inquistive and is at the age where 'tantrums' can start to appear. Of course you should talk to hv if you're really worried (or gp if hv no good), but I think it's normal. I also found once ds walking he got more cross about not getting his own way, or being unable to do something. It's got better as he's got sturdier.

Get her out and about as much as poss. Play groups, walks in park, meeting friends - ds much happier when not stuck indoors with boring old mummy .

I think even the suggestion of autism is unresponsible really. Seems a bit of a stab in the dark when what you've really got is a toddler!

Good luck with it - it's exhausting I know.

bendi · 13/09/2006 11:00

PJ - DS is also 16 months & driving me potty with the shreek & pointing at everything that he wants, usually breadknives or anything else lethal. He then gets really stroppy whne he can't get what he is screeching at. TBH, I thought that he was just getting frustrated because he couldn't communicate in any other way & he's getting old enough now to understand he is the centre of the universe. Autism had never crossed my mind - surely it's more likely that he is just a little boy.....

Anyway, i just distract DS with something a bit less dangerous and he stops for whole minutes at a time. He is also starting to stamp, paddy, throw himself on the floor & howl with rage. I find laughing at him & giving him a razz on the belly helps.

I don't know if that helps PJ, but i won't be taking DS anywhere near medics until he can at least make himself verbally understand & I'm sure he can understand me.

saralou100 · 13/09/2006 11:33

ds is 18 months... and he's nuts!!! literally running rings around us (can run in circles for ages)!! he woke up yesterday morning (i was getting ready for work so witnessed this for the 1st time) he stretched himself out, stood up and immediately started bouncing in his cot, really going for it!!! i need at least an hour and 3 cups of tea before i can even watch him be so active!! we just laugh at him, he really is the funniest person i know right now!!

enjoy this lust for life, rather than worrying about it.

MrsWednesday · 13/09/2006 11:41

Bendi, have you got my DS2? You've described him to a tee!

He's also 16 months and screeching a lot, pointing and demanding all the time. I'm sure the screeching is something they do just because they can. It must also be frustrating that they can't communicate what they want to us.

I'm going to rely on the old saying 'it's a phase'. Hope they will all grow out of it soon - at the moment he rules the house, he's like a little Emperor that we all have to rush
around attending to.

PinkTulips · 13/09/2006 11:44

dd is 19 months and currently ramming her ride on car backwards and fowards into the tv. shes been downstairs for 2 hours and the place looks like a bomb has hit, she simply cannot play with a toy for more than 10 secs, has the attention span of a gnat, runs everywhere, makes high pitched screeching noises ti indicate she wants something even though she has plenty of words which escalates into full blown tantrum if she doesn't get it.

shes now progressed to throwing herself around the couch screeching 'monkey, monkey'.

am quite that somebody would try and frighten you with mention of autism for perfectly normal toddler behaviour, some kids are simply more hyper and high strung than others, it doesn't automatically mea they have SN!

poppiesinaline · 13/09/2006 11:46

sounds normal to me. DS2 (17 months) has developed this ssscrreeeeech that is enough to blow your eardrums and makes DS1 and DD put their hands over their ears . He has us run ragged too. Normal toddler imo.

mellowma · 13/09/2006 12:11

Message withdrawn

bendi · 13/09/2006 12:12

All hail the tyrant Emperors, MrsWeds. We just need to be put in our place, obviously. Maybe it's a Taurus/Gemini thing - stubborn & schizo, mm, nice combination for the future. Gone on his first train ride today to York with the GP's, so any commuting MN'ers got to work with bleeding ears on the train today - sorry

tubismybub · 13/09/2006 12:20

my DS is 15 months and has been doing the pointing and screeching thing now for 6 weeks. He has also suddenly become a lot more demanding. So far i've put it down to a combination of teething, and it's just a new way of him trying to verbalise. The noise is enough to drive you up the wall but imo it's too soon to worry about it being something more. When he wants something he's not allowed i try to distract him and when it's some thing he is allowed i ask him to say 'Ta' once he does he gets what he wants. Today he was screeching to come up on the sofa with me after a couple of screeches he said 'ta' without me prompting so i'm really hoping he's learning!

Original poster

PatsyJ · 13/09/2006 12:59

Thanks for all your experiences. Am feeling a little better. I think she is just a little hyper compared to some of the other kids I know her age! I'm going to put it down to curiousity/frustration etc.

I agree it's too early to involve an HV (she should have a check around 18 mths anyway so will see how that goes).

She's my first so I don't know what is in store for me most of the time - such a learning curve . I knew toddlers were tiring (and also fun!!) but this is extreme at times!!! LOL!

Really appreciate all your replies though - thanks very much. Shall go now and rescue my DD from the DVD player!!!!

OP posts:

PinkTulips · 13/09/2006 13:31

more like recue the dvd player from your dd i'd say

Original poster

PatsyJ · 13/09/2006 13:36

Exactly PT! That's what I meant to say but had mind block of 'oh god get over there quick'.....

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bythesouthsea · 13/09/2006 13:49

Hi PatsyJ just caught up on this thread - my DD2 is 20mnths and has for the last 6 mnths had a zero tolerance to anything not going her way & my god can she turn heads. She completly stopped the whole of M&S the otherday (honestly) with one of her screams. She is the complete opposite to her sister - I am hoping is the terrible twos early or we are going to be really in trouble.....I've some comfort ready all the postings and confident its a toddler thing.

TenaLady · 14/09/2006 13:31

Mcnoodle, thank you for your throw away comment suggesting irresponsibility. I am sure you are a lady far more experienced in these matters.

PatsyJ had already mentioned the activity seemed extreme so naturally she was worried that it maybe more than the normal toddler.

We all have active toddler and they do go through stages but I understood it was the constant screeching that particularly concerned her and based on my experience I made a suggestion not a diagnosis and asked that she sought the expertise of the HV who would put her mind at rest.

Can I remind you of my last line of my post.

Pollyanna · 14/09/2006 13:35

bythesouthsea my dd (also 20months) sounds just like yours - she has to be the angriest baby ever. If I try to put her in a pushchair, car seat, bus, high chair or make her do anything she doesn't agree with etc etc she just lets out the worst screech ever. I have been told on buses to keep her quiet. It is awful. I am hoping she will grow out of it when she can verbally articulate her wishes. She is also very frustrated because she isn't walking yet.

I really hope she has a personality change when she grows up though

flannelettepyjamas · 15/09/2006 11:10

I too have a very active and demanding toddler ( 16 months). I fact I could easily have written your post.
I'm sure it's just normal toddler behaviour.
I caught myself this evening literally running from fridge to high chair and back again several times in order to appease her and avoid her wrath.
Usually I try to ignore her undesirable noises and only reward pointing and asking 'nicely'.
But that doesn't really work anyway, she still shouts and screams when thwarted.
Oh well.
She's a female Taurean, as are my mother and sister, so I should have known what to expect

Original poster

PatsyJ · 15/09/2006 21:57

Thanks again to those of you who have replied since I last checked in. Very reassuring that DD is normal (in toddler terms at least )!

Have to say she's been a bit better today so maybe it is just a 'phase'.

OP posts:

lvj73 · 21/09/2006 21:38

My lo is very demanding too. He can actually play on his own for a while and is super well behaved at nursery apparently BUT if i try and meet friends for coffee wherever it is, he starts really playing up. And he kicks up such a fuss if e.g. I do something he doesn't want to do. The high pitched screaming is just awful - especially if they happen to be right by your ear!!

I am always so worried about what other people think even though I know I shouldn't care.

I understand that most do grow out of it BUT it depends on how you respond to this sort of behaviour. I don't know the answer but I'm sure there are some good childcare books that do have strategies.

There are also some books out there on so called spirited children. Sounds like we've got them - i.e. they have a lot of spirit!!

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