1 yo with mystery pain at night, not sleeping - please help!

[3ormorecharacters]

My DS is 14m and has never been a good sleeper. But for the last four nights it's been extreme - waking every hour (at best) screaming in pain, then when I hold him writhing around arching his back and throwing his head back. The only way I can get him to settle is by BF (he's only BF to sleep now but it's still the only way I can get him to sleep). Once he does settle, if I'm lucky I can put him down in his cot (then repeat the process in 10-60 mins) or sometimes can't even get him down without the crying starting again. I try giving him Calpol and Ibuprofen but it seems to make minimal difference. In the daytime he's fine. Maybe slightly grumpier and clingier than usual but that could just be the tiredness.

For some background, he has his 12m jabs a week ago. He had a temp for a couple of days after and then a sickness bug overnight on Fri/Sat. The sleeping thing started on Sunday night. He only has four teeth still (the fifth has just broken through) so teething is a possibility but the presentation seems extreme.

I took him to the GP yesterday who said his obs are all fine and it's probably just viral, maybe the tail end of his sickness bug. I feel like there must be something else to it though? It doesn't seem right to me but I can't think what else to do. I work Thurs and Fri so I'm having to go in today on a couple of hours snatched sleep in a rocking chair and feel like shit. Please help!!

Sounds like it might be the side effects of his jabs. They happen at around 10 days and 2 weeks.

Would that last for so long? Also it started just 4 days or so after the jabs.

Yes, could do.
Is his pee/poo normal?

Hi Op sorry your going through this I have had 7 children in all honesty I would take him children's A&E could possibly be a UTI or possibly the calpol giving him tummy pain 1 off my children couldn't take calpol hope your little man gets well soon

@DustyLee123 his poo has been a different consistency since his sickness on Fri/Sat - sticky peanut buttery instead of dense and solid like his usual. Same frequency of wee and poo though.

@NicholJO thanks, I hadn't considered UTI. I thought maybe ears as he's had quite a few ear infections but the GP said his ears look ok. (One slightly red but she didn't seem concerned.)

It could still hurt him my little girl had I ear infection for 5 days before the doctor decided to diagnos her same here being told its only a little red took her every day for 5 days to the doctors I'm honestly not saying it's anything to worry about hopefully it's something silly like colic but if your worried I would definitely take him children's A&E to be honest it's so hard getting doctors appointments where I am I usually take my children A&E only if I'm really worried good luck

The arching his back makes me think of tummy pain, and perhaps that’s why he’s wanting to feed, to try and get rid of the tummy pain.

Could be threadworms, waking at night crying is a symptom.

Yes the GP did suggest threadworms. I had a look last night and couldn't see anything.

Ears was my thought too but apparently they look ok. One was a bit red but the GP didn't think anything of it.

My guess would be the jabs. The side effects usually start about 7-10 days after.

If threadworms, the worst time would be bedtime as they come out after the warm bath and just when they get covered up warm to go to bed. He would also likely scratch at his bum.

Yes my son had thread worms at three and that was one of the sign ,s

As others have said it could be his jabs. DD wasn't right about two weeks after she had hers, then one days I couldn't stop her crying/screaming. I phoned for a GP appointment, and whilst there wasn't one available immediately (had to wait four hours), the receptionist could hear her and said she would elevate to an immediate home visit if I had any concerns in the meantime.

GP couldn't find anything wrong, other than a bit of a temperature. He said it was probably one element of her vaccine kicking in, and said in some ways it was a good thing as it proved it was working.

Having said that if things are worse at any time/other symptoms, don't hesitate to ring 111.

is he eating/drinking okay?

My nephew was like this - turns out he had tonsilitus. Obviously very difficult to check a childs tonsils but worth a go!

Thanks for the ideas everyone. Eating and drinking fine. He had his tonsils checked yesterday and they were fine. I'll double check for worms tonight but it doesn't seem like he's itchy or uncomfortable, more like in pain. Jabs seem most likely I guess but it's come on quite a lot sooner than the 7-10 days and seems to be lasting. I also wonder if my breast milk is somehow bothering him as it's only at night and he only feeds at night? Surely they can't suddenly be intolerant of breast milk at this age though!

Tbh I would probably just treat for threadworms (assuming there is something available for that age group?) DD had them at around 2yo and we never saw her scratch. However she was very similar with night wakings and screaming in pain. On one occasion we actually drove her to A&E as she was so distressed!

@3ormorecharacters i know this thread is old but I’m goijng through through the exact same thing with my baby, post sickness but but not post jabs. Sleep is awful and he just seems so out of it and in pain. Did you get to the bottom of it?

Threadworms, my daughter had on and off pain through the night but no itching and I couldn’t see anything there. After a few days she started having pain on and off during the day as well.
Spotted a worm whilst she was sleeping.

no way, ok thank you. Might give him the treatment then just in case. Did it clear it up for your daughter? He’s really struggling to get comfy and wants to be on his tummy all of the time… how did you spot the worm?!