Do I even bother responding?

this kid and I have been talking for 2 months or so. the past week he got distant. it might be the fact his phone dies constantly and it won't turn on for hours or he just turns it off to ignore me while he does his own thing. I'm not really completely sure. but our conversations have become him responding every 2/3 hours. i don't know if there is even a purpose to respond bc he usually takes so long that i'm like well if i respond he could either reply quickly and we'll have a 20 minute conversation and then he'll go MIA or i wait and hour and then he takes another 3 to get back to me. I just don't know if I should even bother anymore. or if i do what can I say to let him know this is getting old?