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Children's health

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Toddler jerking in sleep for 4+hours

1 reply

TurquoiseKiss · 26/06/2025 01:51

My 19-month old fell asleep at 8.20pm. Woke suddenly, sitting up and crying immediately at 9.20pm. I settled her (breastfeed) and then while asleep she started these jerks. The best I can describe them is when you’re between awake and asleep and get that ‘falling’ feeling and startle.

They were intense and every 20-30 seconds, waking her up. We gave calpol at 10pm, she seemed to settle. By 11.20pm the jerks were back as bad as ever. Shes in the bed with just me now and is moving every 60 seconds or so. It’s not like a fit or even a convulsion (I don’t think). Shes not warm and is staying asleep inbetween the movements, but has woken from them around 3 times since 11.20pm. I can’t sleep a wink as with every jolt she moves somewhere else on the bed.

In January I called the ambulance when she had similar. She had started amoxicillin for an ear infection that day and I was concerned she was having a reaction to it. After investigations we were discharged and told it was probably harmless movements especially as she’d been crying/whimpering a lot in the lead up to going asleep on that particular day.

I just can’t believe how long this is going on for tonight.

OP posts:
Realisation14 · 26/06/2025 03:04

This sounds like hypnic jerks. It could be a virus working on her or it could be overtiredness causing it.

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