4.5y old twitchy at night

[Hfmquestion]

My 4.5y old is usually a good sleeper but now wakes most nights and will need us to stay with him until he is asleep again which takes between 5 and 30 mins usually.

It's starting to take its toll, but since last week he's twitching lots when falling asleep and I think it may be causing the issue and startling him awake.

Anyone had this and any idea what could cause it? When he is still awake he does a lot of tossing and turning, but when he starts to snore is when he gets big twitches maybe every 30secs or so. It seems to start with his leg and makes his whole body jerk. Sometimes it seems to be his arm just getting thrown up and then smashed down on the bed.

He is also more irritable in the day which is unusual for him. I feel like somethings going on but I don't know what. I told DH this morning it feels like he's had an overnight personality transplant the last few days.

Hey.
In regards to being irritable in the day, this could be caused by broken sleep.
He could also being going through a growth spurt/cognitive leap.. have a read up and see if it sounds like him. They can cause unsettles at night time amongst other things and cause mood/behaviour/personality changes.
Regarding the twitching.. all 3 of my boys have twitched and my youngest still does in his sleep, he's 2.5. I find usually it's when he's had a busy day at pre school, or if he's over tired, it's more like he's dreaming and the startles himself, because I think he gets in to such a deep sleep, then most of the time he will want myself or my DH to help him settle back down.
Is he generally fine in him? No illness or anything? X

Thank you@Adeleex , that's interesting, it got bad a couple of days before the end of half term so perhaps nerves and tiredness from the first week back. He's definitely exhausted by evening time.

Good to know your little one also needs help settling back down. I'm adding extra stress and worry on myself wondering if we are making a rod for our own back lying with him, but he won't settle any other way at the moment.

I just feel so disheartened as my youngest has finally started sleeping through and I was getting ready for some uninterrupted sleep to recover from a year of sleep deprivation... I guess it will have to wait.

He seems fine within himself but he is the sort of child who barely gets physical symptoms when sick, but his behaviour definitely lets you know! So maybe he is coming down with something. Fingers crossed for a better night tonight

@Hfmquestion It could well be busy days just catching up with him, meaning he's a little more restless! Bless you.

I feel the same in regards to making a rod for our own back.. I mean a couple of nights he had ended up in with me and my DH because we're just exhausted and sometimes it is a struggle to get him back to sleep. We had the same with my now 7 year old too when he was around 3/4. It's difficult but sometimes I just feel I need to pick my own battles and at 2am sometimes I don't want that battle. 🙃😂

It makes it all that harder when you're not sleeping great yourself doesn't it. I feel you on that - I need my sleep or I feel rotten the next day and everything and anything small can get to me 🙈

Keep going, you're doing a great job. We can only do and try our best as parents. Keep me posted, I hope he's not coming down with something and that it's just a phase or a leap he's going through and will soon settle back into quiet nights for you. I hope you also have a better night tonight xx

Oh thank you so much @Adeleex it's nice to chat it through!

I get you with picking your battles at 2am, especially as if DS gets louder calling me we run the risk of the 1 year old waking up too, not having that!!

I do blame DH though :D, as he gets into bed with DS then falls asleep (probably even before DS) and stays there all night as he is such a deep sleeper. So now DS is used to having company in his bed.

I'm much stricter and just sit on the floor so I can make a swift exit back to my bed as soon as he's asleep again!

@Hfmquestion Morning lovely.
How did last night go?

Oh don't thank me. We've all been there at some point, or still going there haha.

I get that! My 9 year old sleeps through anything, but if my 7 year old or 2.5 year old wakes up, guaranteed one will wake the other up!

My DH is the same. Once he's gone that's it. Which also makes my life harder when I'm the one waking at 2am to the slightest whimper and he sleeps through it all most of the time!!! Sometimes I just want to pretend I didn't hear it and pretend I'm asleep so that he has to get up and take a turn 🤣😂

Hoping you had a better night xx

You're so considerate with your DH @Adeleex ! When I'm too tired I just elbow him so he wakes up. It's fair enough as he'll only be awake a few minutes usually, whereas once I've gotten out of bed it takes me so long to get back to sleep.

Well, last night a miracle happened and they both slept through!!! It's the Mumsnet magic, whenever an issue has been going on long enough for me to post it usually disappears the next day!

I'm sure it won't last but I feel like a new woman today! Thank god as work was a real struggle yesterday. His behaviour has also been better, I feel like my lovely boy is back!

Oh, and you're a hero for dealing with three!

@Hfmquestion I'm the same. Takes me aaaages to get back to sleep! And even when I do drift back off, it's never properly.

Haha! That's amazing to hear.. so glad they both slept through for you, and you got a well deserved good night's sleep. I'm hoping you have another blissful night tonight too 🙏

Haha I try my best, can be hard work though, but then again by the time the 3rd child comes they just fit in. I found it harder going from 1 to 2 than 2 to 3. My 3rd is a devil and should of been called Damien. He's a bit too cheeky!! Mine are all boys, and everyone says to me girls are worse. 😂 so I can't complain too much!! X

Does this look at all like second molars soon to be coming in?

Experience with second molars please?

First ones I wouldn't have even known they were coming.. however the rest of the teeth boy did I know about!
Son is 2.5, showing all signs of teething but I can't work out if this looks like teeth coming or not?!