Quote Originally Posted by mom-in-alberta View Post
Kids usually communicate in whichever manner they have learned works the best. Clearly, for him, it's a piercing shriek. Earplugs?
Exactly ... just had this exact conversation at playgroup yesterday there was a little two year old having a fit and her scream was the exact tone of a new born baby and went right through your skin to want to make it stop ... one of the mother's commented 'oh my I thought that was a newborn screaming wasn't expecting a kid so old to make a noise like that' and I commented 'wonder if she has a new sibling at home' and sure enough the mama comes walking over with a newborn under a breastfeeding blanket apologizing to anyone in ear shot saying 'sorry about that ~ the screaming seems to be getting worse lately for every little thing ' ... to which I said 'yes unfortunately she is likely regressing a bit cause she is making the connection that that tone and register makes mama jump for the new baby so is thinking it will do the same for her verses using her words ~ send her the message crying is for wee babies, she is a big girl, she is lucky cause she has words and you will not be responding to her until she uses them and that screaming will stop'.

Children are way smarter than we give them credit for sometimes ... pretty much every behavior children engage in they do so because of trial and error ... when they try it and it works to get them a response they like they repeat it ~ if they do not get a response they like or that works for them than they stop!