lol thanks...I don't think of my kid as having any kind of label, we just go about things a little different. It took me about 10 mins to type out "special needs" but didn't want people jumping on me for not using it. I guess I should just go with my gut and not conform ;)

Personally, I see nothing wrong with talking to her parents about (not confrontationally, but in a friendly way), and just ask them to put a muzzle on the kid ;) Or rather, tell them that while it's great that ther kids are having so much fun playing together outside, they're being very loud and screaming and you were wondering if they could talk to their kids about keeping their voices down a bit. If the child does in fact have a disability, but you approach in a friendly way, the parents might be honest about it -- that they really CAN'T make her be quieter. At least then you'll know what's up and you might even feel less aggravated by it. But if she's just screaming to get attention or whatever, hopefully the parents will realize letting her scream isn't such a good idea.

When we moved into our house our neighbors came over, introduced themselves and let us know their daughter was autistic and would, on occaison, be screaming :D -- this worked well, since the first time I heard her scream, it sounded like someone was killing her -- had I not had the information, I would have probably called the police!! Since we've moved in, we've added one more little man to our house, so the yelling in my backyard equals the neighbors daughter refusing to do something :D -- however, I've always made it clear to all my neighbors that if my kids were being too loud, please let me know. But, to me kids being kids (playing loudly) is something that you get in a neighborhood (just needs to stop at nighttime, no early morning, etc. and no screaming) If this child is loud to you, imagine what her parents hear!! I would make a nice social visit to the family (Maybe bring some cookies :D) and try to work the noise level into a conversation, maybe you will learn something about the family that will explain it or at least get it across to them that the child is too loud.

I don't know, but I have had my fill of the screaming as well. Was just at Target this morning and all thru the store...screaming, ugh!

So im pretty much laughing histerically at my job picturing all you ladies yelling louder than the kids. I too have done it. I agree with you nessa though if its a specials needs child that is a different story. My little cousins though at the time were 7y/o twins and would scream to get your attention instead of saying hey can i have this and the only way to get them to stop was to scream back. They got so puzzled and confused they forgot why they were screaming. Plus you get to release some frustration from listening to all of that

argh! I hate screamers. My little sister was a screamer. In her case I'd just beat her up and she'd hide in her room and cry but since you're an adult thats not an approptriate approach...lmao!
Maybe your neighbor kid standing outside screaming is saving the sanity of mom who sent her out there to scream instead of doing it inside. It could be saving her life doing it out there instead of inside with mom. In any case, if its you are in the same apartment complex complain to the management and have them take care of the situation. That would be the appropriate move instead of approaching the parents and creating inter-apartment conflict.

It isn't a scream of fear or of joy. I wouldn't mind it so much if she sounded like she was having fun. There are other children who play in the neighborhood and squeal, laugh, or sing. It's almost like she's just exercising her lungs or something. I've looked, and she's just sort of standing there, screaming recreationally. I'm not in the same apartment complex, and I'm not sure what apartment she belongs to, but I can keep an eye out.

Sorry, but that made me laugh...screaming for recreation. Guess it would be good lung exercise.

If she's doing that it may very well be that she's autistic or almost deaf and that is about the only thing she can hear. I've never yet met a kid who just stood there and screamed for the sake of screaming.

Some special needs/kids with disabilities (however you wanna say it;) scream in order to feel the sensation in their throat, mouth, and head. They might like the way it feels, or they might just like the fact that they feel ANYTHING. For example, some special needs/kids with disabilities like to gag themselves because it's one of the few sensations they can feel. Or kids who pinch/hit/bite themselves. It's a sensory experience that they are craving. Just a thought from a special education teacher....

Reminds me of my mom -- she said when my oldest sister was about 5 she decided to throw a fit that annoyed my mother immensely!! (rolling around on the floor, screaming, etc.). Mom said she had a thought -- fell down on the floor with my sister and copied everything she did -- my sister was so shocked at the whole thing, she never threw another one!! :D

As a mom I've learned there isn't much you can do about someone elses child (unfortunately!!) -- unless they are hurting someone. If this child isn't special needs, then the parent probably doesn't care/can't be bothered to correct her so your saying something might not have any effect. Isn't there somewhere you'd like to move too, possibly by the ocean or something?? ;)

I have so much respect for special ed teachers...thank you for what you do, I know you all don't get enough thanks. My sister-in-law is a child psychologist for 3 school districts working with very troubled (some due to being abused as kids like with shaken baby syndrome, some chemical imbalances, etc.). My aunt teaches the disabled deaf. She had a class of 15 and only 7 of them knew their name...these are HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS! Their parents just gave up on them. One of the kids who was essentially a genius was deaf, but also had severe CP. He was always smiling but as you can imagine, with his hands curled up sign language is incredibly hard for him.

I love kids, but I know my limits...I am not patient enough to do what my aunt or sister-in-law do. I had a blast teaching a pre-K/K class that had a little guy with Downs (think they are calling it something else but don't know what). He was a fantastic kid, but that is about the limit for me.

To me, it sounds like lack of obedience. The child was probably put outside to scream because the parents couldn't handle it inside. We have some of "them" around here, and it drives us bonkers when a parent gets so sick of their child's screaming (they don't believe in any form of punishment), they just let them outside the scream themselves silly - even if it's 10 at night. BTW they did end up getting evicted because they didn't heed the warnings that the resident manager gave them.

DH and I were sitting down at a mall to grab a bite to eat this past weekend, and the mother left this 2 year old and 4 year old children while she wandered around the (VERY LARGE) food court to find some food. Her two year old son screamed and screamed (blood curtling, nerve wracking) the whole time she was away.

I'm not the one to "hit" children, but I sure felt like smacking that kid to get him to shut the **** up!!! OH MY GOD!!! The mother didn't even bat an eyelash! She just ignored them and did her own thing.

If it was my children 1 - they would be with ME, not left alone to play on their own 2- they wouldn't scream in the first place. Even my ADHD son KNOWS that screaming is not acceptable.

I think I would go talk to the parents and tell them it concerns you when their daughter screams like that, they will either tell you to MYOB, explain why the child does that or try to find another outlet for her

thats very true but then there is another issue here and that is that the child is being left alone outside to scream.....

The kids that yo uare talking about have a much more severe level of disability and would not be children that should be left outside alone to scream and scream.....

and if they screamers or do other self stim behaviors they should be brought in the house...... and if they are not then DCYF should be called because the child is not being cared for properly.....

Yep, unfortunately it does happen. :( Hopefully the backyard is very secure with nothing the child could hurt themselves on...assuming that disability is involved.

We were leaving a shopping centre a while back and in the parking garage was a van with a woman in the front passenger seat. She was yelling constantly. The car was running, but no one was there. I was buckling my youngest in the car watching the other car. Several people came and stood behind that car obviously very disturbed, talking to each other. If one of them hadn't gotten their phone out made a call I was going to call the police...I am SURE that is what they were doing. This was a grown woman (kind of reminded me of my grandmother in the later stages of Alzheimer's), not a child, in a car that was obviously left running so the air conditioning could be left on, but that is still absolutely unacceptable IMHO. I understand that it would have been disturbing to lots of people to have whoever was there bring her into the stores with them, but either get someone to watch her or plain don't go to the outlet mall - ie., NOT a short run in and grab a bottle of milk type place.