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Sudden night waking in a previously good sleeper

11 replies

uncertain · 07/09/2003 23:17

My ds (3 yrs 2 months) has always been a very good sleeper and it's unusual for him to wake at night - in fact before this current 'episode', it had been six months since he last woke during the night.

Over the last week he has woken Monday night, Thursday night, Friday night, Saturday night & Sunday night. A few days ago he had a temperature and developed a blocked nose, so I took him to the doctor who said his ears both looked a bit "dull" & were probably a bit sore. He suggested giving him some antihistamine syrup instead of the pain reliever I'd been giving him, to see if it helped. He said he didn't think antibiotics were necessary. Well his temperature went back to normal pretty quickly but he is breathing through his mouth all the time, and at night he seems to be making lots of snorting sounds while breathing, as if he can't breathe properly through his nose. I know this is all very obscure, but I just don't know why this waking has now become a pattern - even when ds has been quite ill before, he's never woken like this during the night. His nose has stopped running but the only thing I can think of is the trouble breathing - even about an hour after I put him to bed at night, I can hear that he's a bit unsettled and not sleeping soundly like he normally does. Sorry this is long... thanks for any ideas.

OP posts:
uncertain · 08/09/2003 01:43

Just thought I'd add that all I've been doing (when he wakes) is giving him a quick pat on the back & telling him to go back to sleep, as I can't see anything obviously wrong.

Last night when he cried out a second time, I just ignored it and he went back to sleep on his own after about 5-10 minutes. Still like to know what's causing it, though.

OP posts:
katierocket · 08/09/2003 07:20

sounds like he just has a cold. if he's going back to sleep on his own after such a short time then I really wouldn't worry.

Grommit · 08/09/2003 09:25

Uncertain - I was going to post on this very same subject today - you beat me to it! My dd (3.5) has always been a good sleeper but since she gave up her dummy a month ago she has been up every night at least twice screaming and shouting that she is scared of the monsters int he shadows of her room! I try to leave her to cry for a bit but she becomes hysterical and I end up lying with her until she goes back to sleep - no idea how to break this - anyone???
Sorry for hijacking your thread - your problem sounds like it is linked with his cold/ear pain - hopefully when this clears he will get back to normal!

Enid · 08/09/2003 11:28

I also have this problem. Dd1 (3.9 and previously a champion sleeper) now wakes once or twice a night calling for me. She goes back to sleep instantly after she is reassured that I am there.

Its a pain as she's been doing it for a month or so now and I find it hard to get back to sleep afterwards.

To put a positive spin on it, I've used it as an opportunity to make her have a wee and for the last 10 days she has no longer had to wear a nappy at night

Ghosty · 08/09/2003 12:07

This thread is the story of my life ...
DS ... great sleeper from 12 weeks until 2 years ... all went belly up and now he is nearly 4! We have good nights and bad nights. He gets a sticker for sleeping all night and not calling out for me and then a pressie after 10 stickers.
Out of the last 4 nights he has woken up 2 and slept through 2.
If he wakes he calls me ... I can't ignore him as he screams and then gets up to find me anyway (if he does that he is awake for hours) so I go to him and he goes back off quite easily. That can happen up to 5 times a night. We have had monsters/shadows/giant frogs you name it.
I do rewards but I also get cross and tell him off ... especially as there are some days I know he is taking the pi$$. If it gets really bad the ultimate threat is to tell him we will shut his door ... he hates that.
I think at this age a lot of it is part of their wanting to have control. My DS knows it is a great way to get attention so he dines out on it ... sometimes I could really throttle him (but I obviously wouldn't do that!) ... and all I can do is ride it and keep on with the stickers.
If anyone can tell me any magic cure I would be most grateful too ...
By the way, when complaining to my mum the other day she laughed as she reminded me that I was still climbing into her bed at night when I was 12 ... Bugger!

madgirl · 26/01/2004 08:28

Ghosty are you there? can you give me an update? After 9 months of utterly rubbish sleep, and a terrible night of failed controlled crying with ds, I am at work reading through all the old Sleep threads looking for advice or help. How is your ds doing at night now? It seems my ds is exactly the same is yours. He'll be 3 next month, and was fantastic until about 9 months ago when i started having to go away for work- well i am sure this is what made everything go pear-shaped- we also moved house in October, but it wasn't good before then either. By cutting out his daytime nap at nursery we have finally (touch wood, touch wood, touch wood) got him to go to sleep nicely around 7:30-8.00 and then around midnight (if we're lucky) he starts waking and calling out for me. If i don't come he starts calling (by this stage shouting ) for dh. it is slowly driving me mad, and actually I am starting to feel a bit depressed (prone to it) and I am 16 weeks pregnant- desperate to get it sorted before new baby arrives! he is a good boy and we adore him beyond belief, but my god i can't think what to do to get him to sleep through, or stop calling for us. anyhow, winge over, just wanted to compare notes really. thanks.

madgirl · 26/01/2004 21:02

Ghosty are you around? (sorry everyone)

millie123 · 27/01/2004 16:21

i have a 13month old a really good sleeper 7pm till 8am and then all of a sudden wouldnt stop crying when she went down as soon as i walked out the room we had a week of this till she suddenly got the hang that now one was comeing i think they test us every now and again sit on your hads and ride it out

vivat · 20/02/2004 09:21

i've just added a similar message on another thread pleading for help from Ghosty. Madgirl, how are you getting on ? Are you coming to the meet up on Wed? We can commiserate re lack of sleep then !

Twinkie · 20/02/2004 09:36

Grommit -= how weird DD is doing exactley the same - I thought it was the change in homes and all of the stuff that has been going on but my childminder assured me that 3.5 years is night terror time - sometimes they generally wake up and are scared and at other times they use the 'I'm scared of balh blah' to get your attention - DD has been scared of nasty coloured cars outside her window, a book (when all books are downstairs_ - loads of things but is a phase I have been assured and as soon as we calmed her down she went back to sleep and she knew that it did not mean automatically that she got to come in our bed (perish the thought!!)

madgirl · 20/02/2004 11:12

vivat, yes i'll be there, i have some (touch wood big time) encouraging news re sleep!

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