excessive talking

[nene123]

My 5 yr old son doesn't stop talking from the time he gets up until bed.  He's able to control his talking during school and particapate but at home he talks and bounces off furniture all day. It seems to me if he had Adhd he would be like this everywhere not just at home.  I wondering if there are some good books on excessive talking and bouncing and if this could be something that he might out grow?  Im not sure how to dicipline him, it seems mean to put him on a time out for talking too much, however we need some some sort of quiet time. We love him lots but he is exhausting.

[LRM1021]

My son talks non stop, too. But he does it at school as well!! My son is mild ADHD.  He is almost 7.  If he is playing alone, he will talk to his imaginary friend and/or himself constantly.  He needs to hear himself talk, it would seem:)Somehow, I recall doing this myself as a child at his age:) My husband is a non stop talker as well, so I don't know why I expected our child to be any different:)

For my son, I  have tried a "no talking" practice with him. Where we set a timer, and he has to not talk for a certain period of time, so that he can used to having thoughts be in his head without letting them out of his mouth. Its just practice-- so he can try to learn what it feels like to have thoughts and not let them out -- so called silent internal speech. Also, if he is talking constantly, I do tell him that he is talking too much, and that he needs to be quiet so that other people can get a rest for their ears:)  I'll be honest, though, I think these things have made him be more comfortable when people tell him that he is talking too much, so that he can at least try to control it, but he still talks a lot.

If your son is not talking in school too much, and is following the rules, I congratualte you -- that sounds good. I would suggest just being honest with him about how talking too much can make people tired of listening -- he will understand that some day.

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

There does not seem to be any reason to discipline your son. It may turn out that he does display ADHD, but as long as he is functioning well in school it does not invite treatment. The nature of different environments yields different behaviors, and in the home setting there is less of a requirement to contain overly active (including verbal) behavior. Your description indicates that, with the sort of structure available in school, your son is able to accommodate his behavior to the classroom expectations.

[srt12780]

Have you tried getting him some headphones?  Maybe it's a sensory issue, he likes to "hear" himself talk.  If he's listening, then maybe he won't be talking.  Try to stimulate him auditorily.  Buy him some talking books, music for listening on headphones, maybe a video game system, again with the ear plugs, so you don't have to listen to it.  Hope this helps.

[ticked]

My daughter is going to be 5 yrs old in a month and it sounds like he is like my daughter.  it is very normal and annoying at the same time.  I joke around with her and tell her she talks talks talks talks tooooooo much all day long and she laughs.  You just have to know it will pass.  she jumps all over the couch and stuff as well.  I tell her that she is only allowed to jump on the couch in the playroom not upstairs and she listens. They are full of energy. It is age appropriate.  

[shugga]

please don't dicipline him for talking.  i understand that he probably gets on your nerves.  have you tried to explain to him why he needs to be quiet?  what does he talk about??  it sounds like he is smart.  please don't dicipline him, just remember he might have been born unable to speak!!!