Help! My 11-year old son has been diagnosed with ADHD, anxiety and Asperger’s. I have had various interventions for him since he was 3. He constantly talks in baby talk when at home and with his grandparents. He doesn’t do this at school or with other family or friends. He also makes inane noises repeatedly. These behaviors are driving me crazy.
I’ve tried not responding to him when he addresses me in baby talk. I’ve tried positive rewards as well as punishments (time out or charging him a fine). Neither his psychiatrist nor psychologist has been any help. I am open to suggestions.
Cathy
Re: 11 yr. old uses baby talk
Maybe he has repressed desires or psychotic repressed thoughts and he is trying to comunicate with his inner self. Go and see a shock psychiatrist to straighten him out.
Re: 11 yr. old uses baby talk
Find a certified behavior analyst at the doctoral level - an expert in Applied Behavior Analysis. When a problem area is so explicitly identified, this group is the best at putting together that solution.
Was your son injured seriously at age 1 1/2 or so? My experience is in behavior disorders. Every time I encountered a student with signficant babytalk in adolescence, that child had been seriously “traumatized” at a very early age.
Best of luck. Pray for peace and recovery. Ken
Re: 11 yr. old uses baby talk
My child does it every so often. She also wants lots of hugs.I think she just needs alot of support. We are still working on language- it is a lot easier for her to use baby talk than to remember using a verb with a noun and all the other grammer rules that are to be used in the English language.She hates it when we correct her but we are having to start to because she is learning a habit.Otherwise just repeated the request or statement correctly is the best way to handle it.Just a thought maybe you could use robot talk when your child does baby talk maybe that might change it around at least it will help with saying multisyllable words if that is a problem.
Interesting thread
Its my nt (neurotypical) child that sometimes uses baby talk. With her its clearly not neurological . Its a way of getting attention in a household that sometimes isn’t focused enough on her… but I hadn’t realized that until just now. Thanks.
Re: 11 yr. old uses baby talk
This is a field in which I am not an expert. However I do come from a family that values the use of educated English, while the general culture around us promotes slang, so I do have some personal experience in teaching speech habits.
You say you tried not responding to him. But did you try *really* not responding to him, like not giving him the food he wants, not taking him out, etc.? A lot of people fall down on the not responding when the going gets tough — but this is where the rubber hits the road and the natural consequences actually get his attention. Did you try leaving the room, or making him leave the room, because the baby talk makes you uncomfortable? You have to tell him the reason, but if he is socially oriented, this works. Careful — if he is withdrawn or non-communicative to begin with, obviously this would be the wrong tactic!
My family corrects **each and every time** an error is said. Two kinds of correction: repetition of the required part “That’s real good” “LY” “That’s realLY good.”; and request for correct form “That’s real good” “That’s WHAT?” “Really good”. These are used of course when the person knows the correct form but is using slang; a more detailed explanation is needed for the person who doesn’t know what the problem is. The point is that the correction is quick and easy, but certain; you *know* you will have to correct yourself if you say something improperly. After a while it is just easier to speak properly. This takes time and dedication. At first he will try to ignore you. Then he will argue. Then he will try to see how much he can slip by you. If you stick to your guns, in a few weeks you should see him starting to speak more properly because it is becoming a habit. But you can’t stop! If you stop, he will just wear you down again, and each re-start is harder because he knows he can get out of it. Stick to it, and in a few months the number of corrections should be way, way down.
That he doesn’t do it around others is good news. Have you ever asked him why he does it with you and his grandparents? There’s something to that.The three people he’s closest to - it might be his way of saying he feels comfortable and safe with his mother and his grandparents and not with others. That would be a great compliment to you and his grandparents even if the babytalk is annoying.
I’d try to get to the bottom of it by asking him - in a non-judgmental way - how come you talk that with me and your grandparents? We were wondering.” Whether you get a good answer or not then tell him that it bothers you. Be sure to have figured out why it bothers you and tell him that and last, ask him to stop.
The inane noises is likely a tougher nut to crack. ADHD kids can do that. I’d go for ending the baby talk first.
Good luck.