Parenting educator Judy Arnall, author of Discipline Without Distress, says that school-aged kids use baby talk as a way of getting their parents to notice them. “If your child isn't getting enough positive attention, she may try something else,” she says.
She explained that younger children tend to use this form of vocal regression to cope with anxiety, when they are feeling overwhelmed or battling intrusive, distressing emotions and thoughts. For older children, she said, “it can stem from low self-esteem or is used to seek attention from peers and/or adults.”
Make sure “babytalk” doesn't work, but “big kid” talk is rewarded. If, for example, a child asks for something in an inappropriate manner, remind him that you only listen when he uses his “big kid” voice. When he does talk appropriately, be sure to give him appropriate praise and attention.
“Kids also sometimes get positive attention from it, which makes them think it's funny or cute.” Kids also might be looking for more baby-like affection, Sulaica says, like being coddled or held like they were as a baby. Most of the time, fake baby talking occurs in kids between the ages of 5-9, she adds.
It could be argued, that maybe baby-talk is a sign of emotional closeness. Maybe you've gotten so comfortable with your partner, that you've reached this state of baby-talk — because you trust them.
Big life changes can often result in a short lived period of language regression where your toddler reverts back to more baby-like forms of communication. In a sense, your child is processing the change and once they've become more used to the new normal their language skills will re appear.
noun. the speech of children learning to talk, marked by syntactic differences from adult speech and by phonetic modifications like lisping, lalling, and the omission and substitution of sounds. Also called par·ent·ese [pair-uhn-teez, -tees, par-] .
Baby talk can signal that your child needs help with learning new skills. For example, if your child is using baby talk in an attempt to socialize with other children, they may benefit from learning new social skills. Sometimes children use baby talk to try to convince parents they can't complete a difficult task.
Children sometimes use “baby talk” to signal a need for closeness, and it's okay to respond to that emotional cue. If your child is ready to learn more age-appropriate ways to request, you can coach them to do that too.
Although 3 is the age when your child should begin to leave the baby talk behind, every child develops differently. It's fine at this age for your child to still be saying three-word sentences, but the content of the sentences should change.
Backtalk can happen at almost any age, starting almost as early as when kids master their first "No!" It's a normal part of child development, but that doesn't make it any easier to deal with. Talking back can be triggered by a variety of causes.
Regression is a normal and temporary condition for children, and it can be a coping mechanism for stress and untreated trauma in adults. Examples of regressive behaviors include baby talk, thumb-sucking, and temper tantrums. These behaviors can be voluntary or involuntary.
Acting immature can be a sign that kids are struggling and need more support. Hyperactivity, trouble with focus, and not getting enough sleep can be factors. Connect with other adults to find out what they've noticed, and work together to help kids develop skills.
Often big kids want to play baby to settle fears they have about being replaced when younger children arrive. Meanwhile, younger kids may be stretching towards new independence, but want to be babied when that feels hard.
You may have also heard that smart children talk a lot — it's a common “gifted” trait. While early reading can point to a high probability that a child is smart, some very smart children don't talk early or talk much.
Is Baby Talk Bad? A new study shows that true baby talk, made up of proper adult speech at a different cadence, is better for a baby's development than the regular baby babble we're used to. Researchers say it's better to talk to babies using proper grammar and real words at a higher pitch and a slower speed.
Pediatric voice problems can have a number of causes. Most commonly, childhood dysphonia is caused by vocal fold nodules due vocal ab- and misuse. Other reasons might be congenital laryngeal dysplasia, vocal fold cysts and laryngeal papilloma.
Signs of an articulation disorder can include:
Leaving off sounds from words, such as saying “coo” instead of “school” Adding sounds to words, such as saying “puhlay” instead of “play” Distorting sounds in words, such as saying “thith” instead of “this”
Hallucinations may occur as part of normal development or may be a sign that your child is struggling with some type of emotional problems. This may be related to issues at home, school, with friends, or from experiencing upsetting thoughts and feelings.
Around 8% of young people are thought to hear voices at some stage in childhood, with up to 75% having a one-off experience of voice hearing. This makes hearing voices about as common for young people as having asthma or dyslexia.
“Children who are stressed almost always regress,” said Dr. Laura Markham of AhaParenting. “Regression means that the child is not able to cope in as mature a manner as they have recently mastered, because they feel too overwhelmed.”
Hyperlexia is advanced and unexpected reading skills and abilities in children way beyond their chronological age. It is a fairly recently named condition (1967) although earlier descriptions of precocious reading do exist.
Your 9-year-old might seem to drift off like they are “in a daze” or “in another world.” But the world they are in is a new and interesting one. They begin to understand about being liked and seeking approval. They also will start to show they know right from wrong and understand rules.
Parenting educator Judy Arnall, author of Discipline Without Distress, says that school-aged kids use baby talk as a way of getting their parents to notice them. “If your child isn't getting enough positive attention, she may try something else,” she says.