Child screaming - normal?

snickersbars

Hi all,

This may sound daft but I don't really know/have experience of many children. My neighbours have a child who I think is about 3 or 4, who I hear making loud screaming/crying noises in the afternoon and late at night (as late as 11pm). I know that the parents have a somewhat rocky relationship from the shouting at one another I can hear, but I don't know them very well as a) I only moved in a few months ago and b) their English is not great.

I'm not sure if this is normal 3 or 4 year old behaviour, or if I should be concerned that something might be happening? I know that babies cry/scream a lot, but I thought they would grow out of doing it often by that age?

Clouds88

Hmmm it’s a tricky one. My daughter is 3 years old and is ‘high needs’ if she doesn’t get her own way she will throw a big tantrum. She can argue with my eldest daughter too. So in answer to your question yes they can cry/scream at that age. However, if you are concerned for the child’s welfare (and none of us can hear what you do) then you can call social care to pay them a visit? Child protection is every ones business. But I realise it could just be innocent, maybe they have trouble sleeping and the parents are trying to ‘control cry?’

pickledonionspaceraider

Yes young kids screaming is perfectly normal

*Nothing to see here

pinkshoes

My 3 year old twins LOVE screaming.

Sigh.

My 8 year old has the odd tantrum still, although thankfully very rarely.

Kids can and do scream a lot. Sometimes it can be a sign of good parenting e.g. teach them that screaming won't get them what they want. One of my twins screamed for 45 minutes the other morning as I refused to make him porridge as he refused to say please and ask nicely.

Keep_pedalling

I have a lovely family with 3 small girls living next door, and those little angels quite often go off on one, so yes it is normal.

ennui

It can be perfectly normal, and it can be something else.

If you have a genuine concern about a child's safety, you can contact social work anonymously.

bouicca21

Tantrums at that age are perfectly normal, especially if the children are over tired. But can you judge the tone of the screaming - screams from excitement, temper and fear all sound very different.

suki1964

Im going to go against the grain here and say, if you have any concerns whatsoever, ring NSPCC

Fingers crossed and your concerns are nothing

But.........


I personally would rather make a phone call and be wrong, then to ignore my inner feelings and something happened

Kynthia

My 4 year old went crazy the other day and screamed for 30 minutes! Comforting her made her worse and I couldn't give in a let her have her own way, so we had to wait it out but it was very unusual for her. She also screams in fun a lot when chasing her sister or being chased. She occasionally has night terrors where she cries out and sobs in her sleep, usually between 11pm and 2am. This isn't too loud or bad but I have seen videos of children who have it bad. She also cries fairly frequently when she doesn't get her own way or shouts at me, but not as often as when younger as at this age they can understand more the reasons why. I wouldn't say she was bad for her age as 4 is still young.

So yes even generally good children can scream and cry a lot at this age. Basically children are noisy creatures and I'm glad my neighbours also have children as is be worried about quiet neighbours hearing us. However if you hear something that concerns you then report it. Some awful things have happened to children at home and they all had neighbours.

Jakubk

I had a neighbour who had a child that screamed a lot, they also were left in bathroom for hours crying inconsolably, I wokeup at midnight, couple were doing the dirty, boy was in the bathroom screaming was really hard to hear a child like that.

Woke up again at 3am, boy still in bathroom by this time he sounded as if he was having some sort of fit.


I have had child with diagnosed anxiety condition, so I knew this was not that.

Same thing went on for a week and I reported it to Social Servives saying I felt the single mother needed some help as did not appear to be coping.

Result was that they told her I reported her, her best friend gave me a mouthful of abuse but the mother came up and told me that her child had night tremors, she said she was actually OK with me reporting it.

Over the next two years that lad continued to be very noisy, she shouted at him a lot, he was up till all hours, no routine so of course got over tired.

She has moved now and it is bliss but new tenant has a big dog, they have not moved in yet as place had to be gutted and rebuilt. Hopefully the dog will not be left alone all day or else it will be reported, they are not allowed dogs generally here.

I think you should report it, just to be on safe side, it may be nothing but if there is a history of abuse or something else they will get the help they clearly need.

There is another single mum on other side, usual story, 2 kids different dads, none about now. She shouts a lot at her kids and calls then D-Head, they are around 2 and 3 years old. Not reported her, I do think she is a bad mother but I do not think the children are in danger but they are being damaged.

ViolaLass

Jakubk wrote: »

There is another single mum on other side, usual story, 2 kids different dads, none about now. She shouts a lot at her kids and calls then D-Head, they are around 2 and 3 years old. Not reported her, I do think she is a bad mother but I do not think the children are in danger but they are being damaged.

Please report it, it sounds like emotional abuse.