Help for a friend who's reached the end of her tether - professional help needed?

[oysterpots]

Friend has an 18mo DD who hasn't really slept for the past 6 months.

Has a really good bedtime routine, goes down like a charm, but then wakes at least once or twice every night. Sometimes they can settle her relatively quickly, other times DD is up for hours - sort of hysterical, or full of energy and wanting to play, or just crying.

It's not teething - she had all her teeth by 1yr.

They've tried:
CC
Drink of water
Dream feed
Bringing her in with them

But it seems nothing works until DD actually decides to go back to sleep. Last night DD woke at 2am, friend sent me an email at 5am saying she'd been trying to settle her since then but has had enough and wants to give up

I don't blame her - lack of sleep is such a killer.

Anyway, I think it's got to the stage where she needs some professional help. Can anyone recommend a course of action - GP, sleep clinic, hospital...? dunno. We're all first time mums so we've all run out of suggestions/book chapters to read etc.

Anyone else been through this and come out the other side? Or currently going through it with words of support for my dear friend? I am worried about her

[RedFraggle]

Can your health visitor team recommend anything? My health visitor gave me some suggestions for my DS when he was having sleep issues and said if they all failed that there was a sleep clinic run by a local HV team.

We resolved the issue before we needed that but it was reassuring to know it was there. Has your friend asked her HV specifically about local sleep clinics?

I bought this book and it made me look at his whole sleep pattern. Worked for me anyway. But I recommend the HV route too.

[juiceyju]

I offer Sleep Training advice and have had many years of experience with parents who have experienced the same nightly scenario you describe. It is really hard work and exhausting for the parents. I could help your friend if she wants to resolve the problem, I usually get results within 3 days. It sounds like your friends child is not sleeping for a variety of reasons and sadly getting more and more emotional, which will be the case until her child's needs are addressed. She can call me on 07973 831 861 if she wants help and advice on how to get a full nights sleep!