awake 4hrs a night.

[kaylakelly]

Please please someone help me, I'm going out of my mind! My 3yr old has never been a good sleeper and has often woken 2-3 times a night, (only ever slept all the way through for 7 days in 3yrs!) but always went back to sleep within 5-15mins, but over the last 3 months he is waking up and staying awake between 3-4hrs every other night. He has also started creeping into my bed, which doesn't bother me too much and I know the routine I have to go through to put him back, but at the moment I'm just too damn tired!! this all started before he came into my room. He's got speech delays and can't talk yet so I cant ask him what's wrong, but I know its not hunger/thirst/bad dreams etc, he's just wide awake!! I've tried all the usual tricks but none of them are working. Doctor signed me off for a few days (i work part time) because I was exhausted, but then said he couldn't do anything to help, the Health Visitor has also said they don't know what to suggest - great!! Can anyone help? It's getting worse not better :-(

Have you tried one of those clocks to help children know when it is time to get up? We have the Gro Clock which shows a moon & stars at night and a sun when it is time to get up. It may help your ds to understand when it is nighttime he must stay in bed. We had trouble with our ds1 a year ago after the hour went forward (he was then 2) - he wanted to get up & go downstairs at 4am everyday! The gro clock worked a treat & still works - so well in fact that he now refuses to get out of bed until the sun comes up on it!! It may be worth a try for you...

I think perhaps seeing a sleep expert might be a good idea, failing that this book is written by one and covers every age and stage.

Star charts can help, I'd perhaps consider a stair gate on his door as well? Sounds harsh but it is worth a thought. What time does he go to bed, when does he wake and does he have a nap in the day still? These might help me to suggest more ideas or others

You must be shattered

Thank you very much for replying. I did think about one of those clocks and the reward charts but because he's not speaking yet, I'm not sure he would understand what they are for. He does recognise 1 to 10 and does understand what order those numbers go in so perhaps the clock is the best idea, I'm just not sure he would understand what it's for and what I'm trying to tell him.

He does have a stair gate but can climb over that in 5 seconds!!! despite the fact he is small for his age! he can also reach his door handle and open the door, although I don't want to lock him in his room anyway, as I said he can't speak yet and things he doesn't understand would scare him and I don't want him to be scared of his own room/bed.

He sometimes has an hour nap (maximum) at nursery at lunchtime, but on the days he's with me/my mum he doesn't nap. He goes to bed between 7.30-8.30 depending if he's napped in the day. He used to get up at 6am, but since creeping into my bed he stays asleep till 7.30 (there is some good to all this!) I know what I have to do to get him back into his bed, and I'm happy to try this once he's at least falling back to sleep, but I really dont want to sit in a chair next to his bed for 4hrs!!

kaylakelly the great thing about the gro clock is that it doesn't have numbers. You program it for the time you want ds to get up. It then shows a moon & stars with the stars disappearing as the night goes on. When it's time to get up the sun rises on the clock. It is a very simple visual concept aimed at 2yr upwards I think. I'm sure your ds would understand it even if he doesn't speak well.

Good luck!

My DD has to go to bed by 6.30pm if she's had no nap, if she's had a nap 7.30pm latest and she wakes 11 or 12 hrs later generally. If I do not guard her sleep and ensure she has lots, she sleeps worse and is also very grumpy and more troublesome in the day. I use rapid return with my DD if she keeps getting out of bed. However she's always understood a lot more than she can say as well. I think consistency is key whatever you choose to do. She now knows the boundaries and what is acceptable at night due to my firmness and consistency. I sometimes think if a child thinks they can outlast you, they will. It always took a few days with anything new I put into place with my DD, or my DS for that matter.

That clock is a good idea, as are star charts and rewards That book is quite good too.