3 yr old speaks too loud

[Natacha123]

My 3 yr old son seems to always yell when he is speaking.  When he asks questions, he will almost always repeat the answer back to himself at least three times.

Is this normal?

[specialmom]

Could be an auditory processing thing going on.  

For voice volume-------- using a scale is really helpful.  1--------- not speaking, 2------------ whisper,   3---------------  regualar speaking voice,  4-------------  playground voice, 5----------  emergency voice (fire!!!).  

This has been a really useful tool for me to help my kids get the just right volume for what we are doing.  I will tell them before we go to church that they may use either a 1 or 2 level voice.  We go to the park, it is a free for all unless they are talking to me and then they may use a level 3 voice.  My boys get this and they've been using it since my oldest was 3.  Ironically, our elementary school uses the exact same scale.  

A way to reinforce it is to act out each levels.  Then let him act it out.  Another activity is to cut out pictures that match each voice level and make a picture by gluing them on.

If the repeating continues, I'd check with the pediatrician and look into auditory processing.  good luck

[myenzoorka]

My children (and husband) have a hard time realizing how loudly they're speaking.  My son is almost guaranteed to use the exact opposite volume as to what is required (loud inside school and quiet out on a noisy playground).  My son is still a bit young for a diagnosis, but the others have ADHD.  I don't know how much that is a factor - especially since all of my in-laws are unnecessarily loud at all times, and they do not have ADHD.  

My kids and I all repeat answers back to ourselves.  It's usually to be sure that we have clearly understood the answer when our minds are busy thinking about something else.  Maybe he is learning about words/language by listening and repeating words.  Maybe he's associating similar sounds between words - or possibly even trying to associate the sounds of words with written words he's seen.  It does seem a little early for that (as a stepping stone to reading) - but those are things my kids did as they started teaching themselves to read.  But since it seems you are troubled by this, definitely talk to your pediatrician to find out if this is something you should be attending to.

[AnnieBrooke]

I'd run it by his pediatrician.  I assume you have had his hearing checked or satisfied yourself that he hears normally?  Some indications of anxiety manifest as a child drawing out his or her vowels or repeating the first word of a sentence over and over (such as "I--  I--  I--  I--  I--   want some cookies,"), and there are a lot of good suggestions out there about how to deal with it (mostly, by not treating it as unusual and answering the question or continuing the conversation as though the child said the thing normally).  But a pediatrician would be a much better guide to this topic.