To ask what's wrong with DS?

[WhatsWrong11]

DS is 3.5y. The last few days he has had disturbed sleep which isn't like him but sometimes happens when he's brewing an illness. Low and behold this afternoon he started having a runny nose and raspy voice.

But since going to bed it has been horrible. He wakes every hour in a terrible state, crying, screaming, thrashing his bedroom, throwing toys, and banging his head on his bed. It's heartbreaking and horrible to watch. He won't tell us if something's hurting and just shouts at us to go away. He was perfectly normal behaviour wise before we put him to bed and now it's like he is possessed.

I'm getting so worried about him. What is happening?

I'm completely sleep deprived with a newborn as it is who's now also getting woken up by the outbursts. I've had two 10 minute sleeps so far and my anxiety is through the roof.

I'm wondering if it could be covid and he's banging his head because it hurts? On one wake up he did say he needed the toilet and had slightly loose poo too. Temperature is 37.5.

If it's potentially covid can I/ should I still take the baby for vaccinations tomorrow? If they catch covid too will it not be too much for their immune system?

Please tell me what to do so I can rest my brain... Will my babies be OK and will I ever sleep again?

It could be covid or it could be a nasty cold. Can you give him some calpol to help with temperature and head ache and a warm flannel for his head? You'll need to do a covid test but if you're very concerned do call 111 for advice.

Do you live with anyone who can help with your baby? You'll probably need to cancel their vaccinations just in case they or you have covid.

Could it be his back teeth coming though? My DTs went peculiar and a bit derranged for a few days. It was only when they mentioned sore mouths I worked out what it was. They didn’t wake screaming though

Does he react to you even though he's in a bad mood?

Could you snuggle up in his room see if it calms him?

Could it be night terrors?

Was going to suggest night terrors too. Horrible to watch your child go through them. Hope he's ok and you get some sleep

My DD has night terrors that sound a bit like this when she’s ill - a fever often seems to bring it on. They’re not really awake which is why the behaviour is so erratic. I find that playing an audio book or some familiar gentle music can calm DD down when she’s in this state.

We have an almost four year old and three month old so in a similarly sleep deprived state! Good luck.

Thank you all. Somehow it all calmed down after 3am and I was able to sleep until now, phew!

He does have occasional night terrors where the behaviour is similar but it's usually one long episode early in the night and he looks more asleep, like he's not quite there.

Interesting about the teeth I didn't know they could still be getting some at that age. He has been off his food for a few days so it could be.

We tried to get calpol into him but he was throwing it around and spitting it out. Perhaps DH managed when I went back to feed the baby at 3am and that's why it stayed quiet after that.

Everything seems so much more stressful at night, feeling a lot better about it all this morning. Will see how he is and do a test. My poor baby!

Ear infection ?

@LapinR0se

Ear infection ?

I thought the same thing. DS always used to bang his head when he had ear infections.

Cold symptoms might be a red herring - could he have threadworms?they cause severe itching at night and can cause that kind of behaviour. ( Don’t panic- easily treated and really common!)

If it is a night terror (they usually do happen around this age) you shouldnt wake him up from it nor try to give him painkillers. You should just try and comfort him with lights off and get him back to sleep. If it is any kind of infection it would be obvious during the day not just at night. Banging head is not usually a sign of infection. Good idea to post pone vaccinations for a few days to make sure symptoms of cold/flue/covid do not develop. If it is night terrors they would normally pass as a child grown older although of course they might still have nightmares just as adults do.

I think one thing has set off the other. I.e virus of some kind led to temp led to night terror. They do seem to come on when they overheat.

@footballschmootball I did wonder about worms. I have checked and can't see anything but that's not to say its not there. Is it OK to give Ovex as a precaution? Don't really like using medicine if not needed but if it is worms I'd rather treat early before they spread around the household.

He was fine this morning, very happy and like nothing happened. Although he was losing his voice and was picking at his breakfast which he usually can't eat it fast enough. So there's definitely a virus there, and perhaps it's causing the terrors.

Or maybe it's the worms as before last night he would wake in the night and be quite fidgetty/restless. Do worms cause loss of appetite?

Have you looked at his throat?

I'd also do a COVID test if he'll let you and you have any

I was going to suggest worms, my youngest was like this when he had them. He was absolutely hysterical at night for a couple of days before I figured out what it was.

Maybe take him for a urine dip, he might have a UTI, they can cause odd behaviour sometimes.

Sounds like what my little girl is just starting to get over

Hand foot and mouth disease. Can you look inside his mouth and see if there are any blisters?

My little girl couldn't sleep, kept waking up in pain, had a temperature, couldn't eat, struggled to drink because the blisters were so sore, and was just waking up multiple times in the night knackered and needing to sleep but too upset and sore

Urgh starting to think it's worms actually. @ImInACage did you eventually figure it out because you could see them? I did check over the last few days including when he first woke last night and went to the loo and really couldn't see anything. His reaction at night is so bad wouldn't it suggest he had enough worms for me to be able to see them?

So stressed that the baby or I will catch them as we're not allowed to take the medicine... I can't possibly keep up with all the crazy washing for 6 weeks :( I'm exhausted just at the thought.

I’m sorry but worms do not cause a raspy voice or loss of appetite. It sounds like he has a virus of some kind which is interfering with his sleep. You need to get his ears throat and chest checked out.

I don’t think it was suggested that they did, merely that there could be 2 things going on.

Since he has physical symptoms along the disturbed sleep (raspy voice, loose poo, slight temp, loss of appetite) I'd probably take him to GP to get checked out and put your mind at rest.

If GP isn't worried about the physical side of things then I would probably assume he's upset because of the new baby.

I would think with the virus symptoms and head banging that it's either an ear infection or a headache. Some kids have awful headaches when they are ill.