[Mex]

My 12 year old foster to adopt daughter has always talked a bit of baby talk. I noticed, but didn't think too much about it.
This past weekend, she saw her counselor and had a particularly rough session -- talking about who she loved and who she thought loved her.
Well, since then, the baby talk has exploded. I would say almost 1/2 of her sentences are in baby talk. I just keep ignoring it because I'm afraid of doing the wrong thing; at least until I can talk to her counselor. One of her friends (also a foster child) even called her on it this weekend wanting to know why she was doing that so much.
Any similar experiences?
Anyone understand what's going on?
Anyone know what to do?

Thanks,
Mex

[leaabc123]

Definitely speak to her counselor. It sounds like she might be using baby talk in situations where she feels insecure. regressing to younger child behaviors is common for kids who have been through situations that have affected their development in some way.

Hard to say how to approach it but if it is affecting her social life then it is time to have a conversation. You could ask her how she felt when her friend called her on it. Then maybe build from that.


See how she reacts to the suggestion of trying to limit the behavior to at home only. Or ask her if there are other things she might be willing to try when she feels like talking babytalk, like writing in a journal.