I'm at my wit's end! Toddler cries ALL day and barely sleeps, I can't cope!

[overmydeadbody]

18 months old.

Literally cries and whinges most of the time he's awake, unless we go out and are with other people ( but cries in buggy too). He seems hungry all the time, going through cupboards looking for food, but hardly eats any of what I give him ( when he looks through the cupboards is like he's looking for something in particular, I suspect cake or biscuits, but we don't routinely have the in the house).

He drinks and demands lots of milk (alpro growing up milk, such is really sweet) but mostly just claws as me crying, and even if I good him he cries just more quietly.

I have tried calpol, he was teething but isn't now... But this has been going on for months!

I work from home with him as a childminder, I know this is not normal, my other toddlers are not like this! He gets lots of attention from me, lots of fun resources, trips out etc

He fights sleep, always has done.

Had silent reflux as baby, CMPA so no dairy.

Does it sound like there is something wrong with him?

Help!

P.S GPs understandably have little knowledge of the dietary ins and outs of CMPI. We have been under a specialist dietician for years who advised the Koko and absolutely ruled out soy. The GP might be able to refer you on to an allergy clinic

Discusting your DS sounds like mine at that age. He's definitely worse now though.

Ok, I feel the is nothing to loose by ditching the soya milk, so I'll do that from tomorrow and also go to the GP.

Yes my gps knew nothing about CMPA or silent reflux, I felt like we were learning together. I had to ask for him to be put on medication and did my item research into study medication to try. We found one on the end but it was a long journey of hell.

I do give him lots of cuddles and hugs, especially when he would have had a brest feed (our days are very structured and routine led, with my work) and he spends time in the ring sling every day, but he could just want more time with me.

On a really good day he will stay awake on the school run, then have an hour nap from nine thirty till ten thirty, then another one from one till two. But they probably only happens once a week and at the weekend.

Sounds like a plan. If he doesn’t like the Koko, you could try a formula called SMA HA (hypoallergenic) which is fortified with all the usual vitamins in formula but dairy free.

However, at 18 months it’d be better for him to have the Koko milk and a normally varied diet to get his nutrients (the formula would be a plan B).

His blood sugar is probably spiking with the very sweet milk, making him feel ravenous. Changing the milk might help that too. Get lots of protien into him (cold chicken, eggs in all forms, toast with nut butter, etc.) Maybe try a childs probiotic to try and improve his gut health (if the soy has been an issue it’ll be inflamed).

He’ll get there.

It does sound diet related. Bi would bring him to the GP for a thorough check just in case.

A friend's child never slept. Eventually she broke down weeping in front of the Doctor who promised to investigate fully. It turned out his tonsils were so enormous it was causing sleep apnoea.