What has happened to my DS?? Screaming fit every bedtime

[thelittlebluepills]

DS2 is 22months and has been fantastic at going to bed up until now. We could put him in his cot say goodnight and walk out - he might play or chatter for a bit but then would sleep. Same for daytime nap.

But ten days ago he started screaming at bedtime - last night he was almost sick he was crying so much. I have given calpol (just in case) and tried everything from cuddling to controlled crying, the only way to get him to sleep is to lie next to him in our bed. he is obviously tired but still takes ages to drop to sleep. once asleep i pop him back in his cot and when he wakes in the morning he is fine.

He is not normally a tearful boy and this is very unusual for him - for his daytime nap he still goes down fine (in his cot). The only other change is that his appetite seems to have dropped off quite a bit

Please please help - I can't cope with hysterical child for 2 hours every night!!

I could have written this op myself! My DD aged 14 months has just started the very same thing last Thursday! I have no idea where this has come from. She was previously fantastic at going to bed and now has screaming hysterics.

My ds1 went through a phase where he was awful at bedtime. He'd scream like he was being beaten, was horrible.
We spent months and months laying on his bedroom floor whilst he went to sleep, sometimes upto 2 hours a night.
In the end, we did a graduall retreat every night. We'd start off sitting next to the cot, then after 5 mins ish would shuffle back, he'd cry and scream so I'd try and talk him down, once he calmed I'd wait another 5 ish mins and then shuffle back again and so on.
Each night I'd start a little further away from the cot until one day I found myself at the door. We then just used to put my slippers half in the doorway so he thought I was still there.
Now he is perfect.

can I join in this thread please?

dd1 is 2.5 and has now been carrying on/screaming for 45 mins. It used to be so easy...

McDreamy - how bizarre - DS also started this last Thursday

Me too. Ds 17 months is being a nightmare recently. Has no probelm going down in day - straight to sleep - and at night up until recently but is now a different boy and cries/whinges even though he is shattered .

Total sympathy - i'm starting to dread evenings/night times again and get that sinking feeling as soon as he starts.

Am on half term next week and so will be attempting controlled crying if im strong enough!

Another one here,DS 12 months and started on Monday! Must be something in the air...

Can I join too? 18 months & a nightmare to get to sleep. He won't go to sleep unless I am with him & he constantly & asks for milk. (which I give him...). Used to be so easy...

This happened to us when our son was a similar age. The crying started as we left the room. We could only get him to sleep by putting him in the spare bed with one of us. It was a complete shock as I'd never seen him going off to sleep before! It always seemed that we were too much of a distraction. I think this upset coincided with the start of teething the final molars.

This is what we did, just for a few ideas really. Firstly for a few days we gave in very quickly to the crying and got him in the spare bed as soon as possible. This was to try and calm eveything down really (for us and him!).

Then we put the quilt from the spare bed into his bed. I also gave him a really flat pillow. Then we talked about how lovely and cosy his bed was throughout the day and particularly in the evening for the bedtime routine. We turned out the light and lay on the floor next to the cot until he went to sleep. We crept out when he was asleep. Over a few nights we crept out earlier and earlier. For us, things were back to normal after about a 4-5 days of doing this.

I'm sure I would have been pretty liberal with calpol through this period, during the bath so there was plenty of time to get into his system.

All in all it lasted about 2 weeks but it felt like complete hell. We actually shared the staying in the room and the other one went out for the evening as it was so stressful.

Interesting as DS is cutting his final two molars.

He has also now come down with fever and general unwellness

DD has now developed chicken pox and seems to be much easier to put to bed - very spotty though

DS2 is still unwell - we are quarantined at home whilst everyone else is off to see family and new baby.

He is still a bit clingy at bedtime but has improved - peanutpie thanks for the advise i have used the disappearing chair method now and seems to be working; first night i lay down with him in his cot (cot - not cot bed - leg cramps only easing off now 3 days later!), next night i sat in his cot, last night sat in chair next to his cot,

mcdreamy - how is your LO?

Peanutie. Thanks for the advice but I took the bull by the horns & went cold turkey leaving the room the other night. Before that there was lots of stories, cuddles (milk) & then bedtime book. (Peekaboo bedtime book, which he knows that when you read it - its straight to bed after). Put him down, kissed him goodnight & immediately left the room. No procrastination at all. I didn't have a whimper from him- he fell asleep within 20 minutes. It?s worked for 3 nights!!! Can't believe it. Lets hope it continues...

Sorry to hear about chickenpox McDreamy. How is she?

Glad that your LO's bedtime has improved the little blue pills.

My son was doing this at around 19/20 months and I think he was scared of being on his own/the dark. He was absolutely fine once I put a night light in the room. Worth trying?

She's not great Covered in spots especially her bottom - looks so sore and red. We were on holiday when the spots started so I came home early. I think the itchiness has really kicked in poor little thing I don't know what to do with her

Not a great time for the McDreamy household. (It's my Nan's funeral tomorrow) Still things can only get better after tomorrow

McDreamy - have you tried piriton for the itching?

so sorry about your nan too.

Yes I've given her piriton but just wondering if there's anything I can put on the spots. Poor weething looks so pathetic.

calamine cream -not the lotion

Have sent DH out for some, thanks