Using a 'baby voice' when nervous

[debs40]

Has anyone else found their dc does this? DS is 6 and possible ASD (AS?) and he seems to adopt a 'baby voice' when nervous. It's not just the tone of voice but language too 'I felled over' kind of thing.

My DD does this (very nearly 6yo) when she feels in need of extra attention from me, it's as though she is telling me that she needs to be babied for a little while. She goes the whole nine yards, lisping voice, baby language, fluttering eyelashes. Heaven help the men in her life when she's old enough .

She has had some sibling jealousy issues which she's pretty much over, but obviously sees me babytalking with DS and wants her fair share of cuddles and sympathy.

ds stops talking much at all when he is off on one.

I get two or three word sentances over and over. 'Big boy' 'naughty boy' and his favourite - 'I am a KINNNNGGG!'

I think communication jsut fails when he is overloaded.

debs, they mention it very briefly in "More than Words". Have you got it? I'll give you the quote if you haven't and you can then email Hanen directly with your question (a SALT there will get back to you).

No I haven't got it so thanks linglette that would be really helpful!

I would be interested in that too as my DS adopts a different voice when nervous. Its more of a screechy voive instead of his normal proper voice. Was going to post about this today funnily enough!

My ds doesn't do that, but then again his has a big speech delay. Instead when he gets nervous he starts making grunting or throat noises , and reverts swiftly to his baby jargon that is making lots of pre-verbal sounds like a a 15 months old!

Come to think of it , the baby jargon probably is ds's baby voice!

DD did this a lot when she was in Year 1, it drove the teacher mad.

In Year 2 she has had much more 1:1 AND a more sympathetic teacher, and has stopped doing her baby voice at school and at home.

I presume that it was stress induced.

(It did drive me round the bend some days...)

DS is nearly 11 and he does this too. I remind him to use "your voice, please" and refuse to talk with him until he does. He often doesn't realise he's doing it, but it's always when he's a bit stressed/anxious and silly.

We have a game we play where we have to say statements on cards in different tones of voice and noise levels - that's helped a bit too.