Any tips for helping 3.6 yr old with eczema sleep

[greedychops]

I know the first step is obviously to get the eczema under control, but he's had it since 8 weeks old, and particularly bad for the last 12 months. Diagnosed as allergic to various foods, which have all obviously now been cut out.

Basically he has always been a bad sleeper. The number of times he has slept through would certainly number under 25 since he was born.

Ds2 is a much better and has been sleeping through since he was about 12 months old, so I don't think its necessarily about the way we do the bedtime routine or anything.

We are consistent at bath, pyjamas, teeth, stories and bed, and he goes down pretty much every night with no problems. If he is particularly itchy, I sometimes have to sit with him to hold his hands while he nods off,

Anyway, when he is not particularly itchy, I think the scratching is a habit, but it still wakes him up and he seems to find it hard to get back to sleep unless he is in bed with us, or I sit up with him for a long time.

I can't just leave him to cry as if he gets scratching properly, he is covered in blood within a fairly short time, and that's with bandages on.

Sorry that this is long, but I keep thinking I am getting close to the end of my tether with him, and I hate how cross I get at being woken sometimes several times a night, every night.

Any tips? Please?

Have you tried cetirizine? (not sure I've spelt that right). Our GP prescribed it for DD1's itching which was particularly bad and it seems to have helped. It sounds more of an eczema issue than sleep to me

Hi cbmum - yes he gets citirizine twice a day when his skin is really bad, and has vallergan some nights too. Think the vallergan works a bit when his skin isn't too bad, but not when it is.

I think my main question is how others have managed with bad sleepers, apart from leaving them to cry. The eczema I think will be with us for some time to come, but I think he is a bad (or light?) sleeper anyway, and cant get himself back to sleep when scratching.

By the lack of responses, it's kind of confirming what I slightly dread, that there is no answer, but I will bump this for a day or two and see if I get any other ideas.

Hi sorry, I haven't really got any advice but wanted to bump this for you. I suffer with eczema and my DD is about the same age and she suffers with eczema every now and then (although it's quite mild) and she wakes in the night scratching occasionally. I don't really know how you can tell if it's the eczema or the sleeping habit that's the problem unless you get the eczema under control first. If you then find that he's still waking it may just be that he's got into a habit of waking because of the eczema and you may need to start again trying to get him back into a good sleeping routine.

You could try just sitting by his bed untill he drops off and moving further away each time untill you are able to leave the room. I think controlled crying might be a bit harsh if he's uncomfortable or in pain.

Keep on at your GP to try and get the eczema sorted as a major priority. If treatment (It took me years to get mine under control as I was too polite!)

I really feel for you as it's such an uncomfortable condition but lack of sleep for you and DS won't be doing either of you any favours. Hope he improves soon.

Hi surfandturf - thanks for that. I agree that it's very hard to know which is causing the problem. Ds2 slept better right from birth, and so I suspect ds1 is naturally not the best sleeper in the world, but I think the sitting through with him rather than letting him get in our bed is going to have to be tried again. He's now seeing a paediatric dermatologist at the childrens hospital in Glasgow, so I'm hoping it improves from now on.

Sorry to go on, but the trouble is, his flare ups get under control, sleeps a little better, and then flares up again and we are back to square one. But I guess nobody said being a parent was meant to be easy.

Just need to take the in laws up on their offer to have them for a weekend sometime and do some catching up.

Totally agree that lack of sleep makes the situation seem a lot worse. I know lots of people have a lot more to cope with.