Nightmares and screaming... A habit?

[BlueBumedFly]

My DD is 4 and has weeks and weeks in a row of screaming nightmares and on some occasions night terrors. usually terrors are around illness such as ear infections.

I travel sometimes with my job and have just returned from 5 days away. She was fine when I was gone, no wakings at all.

I've been back a week and she has woken a minimum of twice a night, sometimes up to 5 times a night. she screams so loudly she could wake the whole street. When I ask her why she says she cannot hear me coming.

I am exhausted as I also work fulltime. Have tried to be very reasurring lots of hugs and love and cuddles. We have moved her bed around, left fairy lights on in her room etc. Now nursery drop off are becoming a nightmare again too. She has never been great at being left but I feel we have regressed back 2 years.

Is this common at 4 with the imminent stress of starting 'big school' in September?

Habit or problem? How do I ride it through?

Many thanks in advance
Bbf (tired)

hi BBF,
my two are also 4 and about to start school in september and DD1 has also had problems with night terrors, scared the hell out of me the first few times she did it as she seemed to stare right through me! we have even found her sleep walking so all the stair gates have gone back up.

i think her triggers are a change in routine or a particularly busy day, yesyerday she was quite a handful so was told off a fair amount and had a stressful bedtime without much calm down sure enough que night terror that lasted about half and hour, when she does this we just sit with her to make sure she is safe, i think it is recommmended that you don't try to wake them from it.

i am wondering if your little one is doing it in response to all the changes going on, preparing for big school is a issue that i think might also be unsettling mine, also is she unsettled by you traveling? although she may be used to it that in combination with the other imminent changes may be enough to trigger the problems you are experiencing.

my only advice wuld be to keep going with the extra reassurance, lots of love, cuddles and time together when you can. try talking to her about how she is feeling - difficult i know with a four year old as they can't always describe how they are feeling, mine will talk about how her teddy is scared quite alot, hopefully once the changes are made in september things will settle down but that will mean another few weeks of a very tired you

hope this helps, i am sure there will be more people along soon with more advice,
twinmummy

sorry for all the typo's, am typing while trying to get the kids tea

Twinmummy. - thanks so much, she does fit the pattern you describe perfectly, I'll keep on doing as you say and try to step up the talking. many thanks x