5.5 month old has replaced sleeping with hollering...Teething or...?

[OldandUnwise]

My ds has been a pretty good sleeper... Naps during the day, in bed for 7 pm, dream feed at 10 and then awake around 7. Sometimes will wake up about 5 am for a grumble/chat but it is only a couple of minutes and he gets himself back to sleep. Pretty normal I presume..?

Now he's started to spend HOURS awake at night whining, crying and screaming blue murder. He does have a bit of a cold but is generally very happy, grinning and chatting away. For instance last night dh fed him and I could hear both of them chuckling at one another which is perfectly normal. Put him back to bed and he would not settle, grunting, squawking, tried to rub his back, etc. but it just escalated and resulted in me laying on the sofa with him just trying to cuddle him while he cried and hollered until after 2 am.

He was sporting a rather impressive pair of eye bags this morning but grinning away like normal. And despite being deposited regularly in bed (generally has a nap about 2 hours after waking) he has only just now (noon) went to sleep.

He does not seem to be in any pain as he is so happy but is dribbling, chewing a bit and slurping on his lips... But if it was any sort of pain surely he'd be miserable all the time rather than just when in bed???

I do so wish they came with a manual... I also doubt anyone can tell me what the problem/issue is but maybe some sympathy...? It is just really strange. Plus he is a big boy with a healthy set of lungs that nobody is going to thank for exercising in the middle of the night.

Have tried paracetamol which does not seem to do anything...

[HannahBerry]

My son went through this for a couple of days. I put it down to 6 month growth spurt/ developmental leap. A few weeks later he has had a cold and then a tooth. I am waiting it out as I know it'll pass soon enough... until something else comes along :) I know at the time it feels like their sleep will never return to normal. All bets are off when it comes to sleep. You have my sympathy X

[OldandUnwise]

Two half hour naps and he's up there bellowing away . He must be absolutely shattered, well IS if the state of his eyes are anything to go by. It's like he is afraid to go to sleep or something! So incredibly exhausted but fighting it like mad.

An added bonus is he has ramped up the puking so for every bottle he has he is returning two .

Here is hoping this too is only a couple of days... Thanks Hannah!