Is this normal? She won’t stop crying

[cryingohbabygirl]

Okay, so my daughter is soon to be 3.

She never usually naps, but fell asleep in the car. I got her out and woke her up gently. Ever since (50 minutes ago), she hasn’t stopped screaming

Constantly screaming and her body is so so stiff as I cuddle her. She’s hysterical. I’ve just passed her to her dad to take a breath as it’s very overwhelming

No temperature as I know that’ll be asked.

Is this normal when waking a small person up from a sleep? :)

I don’t remember my son ever being quite so dramatic! She is honestly so upset

Also tried her favourite programme that usually gets her attention without fail but she just screams harder

Nothing is distracting her. Offered her a bottle of juice and it was thrown across the room!

Very normal for my DD, who stopped regularly napping just before she turned 2. Last time she fell asleep (in the pushchair) she was 3y2 months and the entire rest of the afternoon was one long meltdown. And that was the day I vowed to never let her fall asleep in the day again 😂

Sending sympathy, I remember telly and snacks also not shaking my DD out of it. Roll on bedtime!

@Muteswan thank you! It’s awful isn’t it? Like a hurt, angry cry I’ve never heard before

I had one that did this if woken after naps, though thankfully not for as long.

They also had night terrors and hallucinations when hot - no idea if related though.

They took ages to calm down and I was often convinced there was something wrong with them.

Maybe put them down on a sofa with the TV on and walk away for 5 minutes - see if they come after you or if they are eventually distracted?

I have to admit to once calling an ambulance as I could not get any response out of them, even taken downstairs with all the lights on.

The moment the crew arrived through the door they 'woke up' smiled at them and started chatting.

I was absolutely mortified about wasting the ambulance's time, especially as I work in the industry.

She's slept in the car when she doesn't normally, so maybe she's just disorientated or overtired.

But I'm just wondering about the stiffness. Has she done this before? Can she move properly, or is she in pain and freezing against it? Could her neck be stiff and causing pain? Does it feel deliberate due to anger or can she not help it?
Does she react if you blow into her face, or shine a light?

Babies, for example, can go very stiff with meningitis. So I don't think I'd dismiss it, if it is not a normal anger response, until you are sure she's not hurt.

It could be nothing at all, but it could be sign of something being wrong. Just keep a close eye on her until you're sure nothing's wrong.

This happened to my granddaughter once. Nothing verbal worked. Fortunately I had just bought her a little toy pushchair so I plonked it in front of her and chivvied her out of the door for a walk around the block.

Something about moving and a change of scene helped and she snapped out of it.

For some reason I always find a walk or carry around the garden, looking at plants, helps.

Thank you, I appreciate the replies

She stopped 2 minutes ago! Because I had a cup of tea and she wanted a sip… now is running around the place as merry as a lamb

I was, honestly, ready to call 111

Phew! So pleased to hear it. I think they somehow get ‘trapped’ in the twilight zone between asleep and awake.

We all know a cup of tea cures everything!