16 months screaming for hours at night

[CherryBlossom456]

My son has always been a terrible sleeper but I had got him down to 1 watered down bottle and this was the only time he woke at night 7.30pm-6pm. Falls asleep himself with only a small amount of comforting (which is incredible for us)

The last week he has woken at 1am for 2 hours screaming every night. Nothing will settle him and he won’t even pat or cuddle to sleep. I have given him calpol and later ibuprofen, changed his not very wet nappy and offered him a watered down bottle which he refuses.

I don’t know what to do. Tonight I am just leaving him to scream. Currently been screaming 1hr.

Please help me I am having to look after him in the day and make my hours up in the evening everyday as I am wfh with Coronavirus do get no downtime at all.

[Yolo2]

You have left him to scream for one hour? Please comfort him. He is a little baby and he is crying because he needs someone or something. Even if you don't know what, to leave him is not right .

[wavecatcher]

I wouldn't leave him if he's that upset and is usually not like this. Ear infection maybe or teething? Must be something going on with him like that.

[Yolo2]

Sometimes when my daughter has been starting to get ill but has no obvious symptoms, she cries through the night. Imagine how scared and unhappy your little boy must feel crying alone. You really must parent here and not be "leaving him to scream"

[BadBadBeans]

Teething? Sometimes I find that in the direst of nighttime screamfests, a bit of CBeebies on the mobile phone is distracting enough to get them to quieten down. Good luck xx

[NeverHadANickname]

Surely you are not getting any more sleep now leaving him to scream than you would if you just comforted him so please do something to try and help him. Distraction as above, cuddles, play, anything.

[Aquamarine1029]

Is he your son or step-son? You posted under Step-parenting.

[Pippinsqueak]

Could he be going through the 18 month sleep regression early? Give him loves and cuddles. I've just had to do that for the past hour for my 15 month old daughter and hopefully she's off back to sleep for a few hours (been a terrible sleeper since birth).

[Pippinsqueak]

But also give yourself some lives, go and make some warm milk and honey, grab a biscuit and a blanket, get your son and cuddle and hopefully he ll go off to sleep, you ll be relaxed and ready to go to sleep when he does

[Annaminna]

Ear infections probably. Mine was exactly like that. Nothing I can see or do. Only when GP looked into her ear, she got the diagnose and medication.
I was so angry with myself because waited for three days before I went to GPs.

[PotteringAlong]

Why are you watering down his milk?