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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Sreaming at night! I am flummoxed.

22 replies

MrsDoolittle · 15/03/2005 12:42

My dd has just turned 11 months last week. I know I have been very lucky because she usually sleeps from 6 pm til 7am apart from when she has been ill or teething.
In recent weeks she has woken at night crying really loudly. Usually she wakes me with a start and while I am rubbing my eyes and trying to get out of bed she starts thrashing her limbs in what seems like 'tantrummy' behaviour. I pick her up, and she's fine - smiling and reaching for things to grab. As soon as I start to lower her into her cot she starts screaming again. Eventually, I have to put her back and walk away from her but I don't like it
This is totally new behaviour to me, I am totally mystified.
Any ideas out there?
Please?

OP posts:

helsi · 15/03/2005 12:48

Could it be night terror?

Original poster

MrsDoolittle · 15/03/2005 12:49

whats that?

OP posts:

helsi · 15/03/2005 12:49

Could it be night terror?

binkie · 15/03/2005 12:49

Dh and I always had a theory re our two that their dreams started to be vivid - and they reacted to them - at just around a year, sort of same time they were starting to get a sense of themselves-in-the-world. Think I remember the night stuff being worst when they were about 13/14 months.

Could this be?

helsi · 15/03/2005 12:57

night terror here

kidshealth.org/parent/general/sleep/nghtter.html

Original poster

MrsDoolittle · 15/03/2005 13:00

Thanks helsi, I have just looked at that site myself. I am confused because she is awake though. She knows I am there. This site suggests that she might just be screaming in her sleep.

OP posts:

scotlou · 15/03/2005 13:02

If she's happy when you pick her up then it's not night terrors - my ds suffered briefly from them and it's horible as the more you cuddle, the worse they scream.
Can they suffer from nightmare at that age - or has she just worked out what to do to get an instant reaction from you!!!

helsi · 15/03/2005 13:02

from what I know about night terror, the children do appear to be awake and do know that you are there. They don't remember anything in the morning.

Original poster

MrsDoolittle · 15/03/2005 13:07

That's what I am wondering sotlou. She was awake chattering to herself this morning when I woke up.
Scared the life out of me last night though! I just can't see anything wrong with her

OP posts:

Original poster

MrsDoolittle · 15/03/2005 13:37

OP posts:

Original poster

MrsDoolittle · 15/03/2005 15:11

OP posts:

RudyDudy · 15/03/2005 15:19

Has anything in the daytime changed at all MDL? We had exactly the same with DS at about the same age and it seemed to coincide with when we'd left him for the first time for 4 nights with my parents. Some things that helped us were: making sure there were no things in the room that could make strange shadows - e.g. bags hanging on the back of his door, a cupboard door not shut properly. Also started leaving the radio on (R4 very quietly) so when he woke up he wasn't 'alone' so to speak. These things really seemed to help and it did pass - though in our case it did take a few weeks. Sorry to tell you that but it may give you hope that keeping trying is worth it as it will stop eventually.

Since then we've had similar episodes on and off but they haven't lasted as long. I do think that around this age (DS is now 17mo) there is a lot going on in their heads and they do get more unnerved during the night.

HTH and good luck - all sympathy for the disturbed nights.

Original poster

MrsDoolittle · 15/03/2005 20:54

Oh My God. This is the worst! NEVER has she sounded like this. She is screaming blue murder!
I have checked on her and everytime I sit her up she starts smiling so she is okay

OP posts:

madgirl · 15/03/2005 21:03

do u have a monitor? just wondering what she does immediately prior to the screaming - might be worth listening closely? it might be that she has figured out that she would rather have you around than be on her own in her cot, in which case the whole sleep issue/cont. crying thing may be rearing ugly head. take heart tho, it could just be a phase. sorry that last bit sounded a bit lame, but ds1 has gone through similar things but started out as a good sleeper and 4 years later is still a good sleeper despite very horrid intervals.

RudyDudy · 15/03/2005 21:16

Poor you It does sound like she just wants you around - so you may have to be strong and go for something like CC. Have you tried that at all?

(quick hijack - thanks for the reassuring words madgirl - my DS has phases like this too so it's nice to hear it doesn't necessarily mean the good sleeping is lost for ever )

Original poster

MrsDoolittle · 15/03/2005 21:38

I HAD to leave her in the end. There was nothing lese for it. Awful to listen to!! I stayed outside her room. Really tantrumming.
She is asleep now though

OP posts:

larlylou · 15/03/2005 22:14

I'm glad I came across this thread as my ds is doing something quite similar. I am probably going to do cc as it is the last resort and this has been going on for a fair while now (started off when back teeth were coming through and I was going in to give him teething granules and water, etc) now, he wakes up pretty much every night but the crying is far from just wanting company which makes me wonder whether he is frightened of something or is having a bad dream. It is so difficult to know whether cc is the best in a situation like this or whether it would make it worse but unfortunately there is nothing else I can do - I am becoming a zombie and am 6 months pregnant so need my sleep (as does he!).

Lea2003 · 19/03/2005 15:02

Hi folks

My dd started to do the same at about this age. Just as we'd finally got her to sleep thru. My HV ( who is one of the good ones by all accounts!) said it may be her molars starting to come thru. Emma screamed for 2 hours a night. Obviously your dd may already have them so I could be wrong. I was told to give her Ibuprofen when she woke up - I also gave her chamomilla granules to help when she was in pain with her teeth. After a few nights she got better.

Hope this helps

Lea

Pruni · 19/03/2005 15:06

Message withdrawn

TracyK · 19/03/2005 19:33

what about a night light? I've got one of those nightlight/lullaby things that are activated by noise/movement.

kbaby · 19/03/2005 21:36

Hi,
Weve got a similar thing. I just added a thread on the sleep board. My dd whose 9 months has started waking at 11pmish and screaming until we get her. Once we get her she is all smiles and wants to play! the minute I lay her back down in her cot she starts to really cry, much worse than a normal cry. Ive tried giving calpol but it doesnt make a difference also the fact that when i pick her up she is fine makes me think it cant be any pain. Shes generally awake from 11pm until 2am when I can finally get her back to sleep and in her cot. If I try earlier she screams. Lat night went something like this;
8pm in cot fell asleep on own.
12pm woke, gave milk and fell asleep. put back in cot
12.10 woke screaming, took out of cot and cuddled for 30 mins, put back in cot
1am woke screaming, came into bed with me where I had to hold her tightly to stop her fidgeting and go to sleep.Slept until 8am.
I'm sorry I dont have any solutions, the only thing I can think of is that she doesnt want to be on her own at night and wakes up frightened. Just want you to know your not alone. I tried cc when she was 7 months but after 5 nights of 2hourly crying I gave up.

Lea2003 · 22/03/2005 21:22

One more thing to my comment below. Just on this teething item - apparently back teeth hurt more when they are lying down - certainly my dd was fine while cuddled but as soon as you put her down she screamed again. When the pain had worn off she slept til morning. My HV suggested Ibuprofen as it lasted longer and was apparently more effective.

As for the sleeping - try The Baby Whisperer - www.babywhisperer.com - worked miracles for my dd.

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