15 months old and the screaming is horrendous

[mimmymouse]

I'm slightly surprised the neighbours haven't called social services… If you are my neighbours - I'm so sorry. 15 month old DD is absolutely screaming her head off in a way she never has before, generally between 2am-5am. It's epic. She is teething - Calpol and teething powders both being employed. In addition to the screaming, there is the absolute refusal to be comforted. She turns herself into an ironing board or throws herself around. No kissing, cuddles, talking, singing have helped. I have had to take to turning on the lights and clapping my hands to get her to see me and be comforted.

Is this teething? Is this night terrors? What is to be done? I'm on my knees with exhaustion and I'm very worried about her. Her sister is upset by it too. She started at a new nursery a month ago, which I'm pretty sure she detests. Could that be it?

Ideas, please!

If it's teething have you tried nurofen instead of/as well as paracetamol? When DS (14mo) cut a molar recently we ended up giving him both at the same time in the middle of the night cos he was screaming his head off and couldn't be consoled. Within 15 mins he was sound asleep.

Also, you say she 'hates' her nursery- any idea why? Is she just unsettled cos it's new, or is there something about the place that you don't like either (staff, general vibe)? If you have concerns about the nursery then make sure you speak to the manager asap, or consider an alterntive nursery/childminder. If you think DD is just upset cos it's new and a big change, maybe set aside some time to talk to her key person/room leader about how they can help her settle in better. Comfort objects from home? YOU spending some time there with her playing (like a playgroup) on your day off work, so DD learns its a fun place and you like being there, maybe she will too?

Neurofen is a good idea, thanks! As for the nursery, no I'm not a fan. Taking steps there already, so thanks for reassuring me that the steps are the right ones to take. Appreciate your reassurance a lot. It's awful at 4am, again, when I can't help her. There is nothing in the world to make you feel like such a failure as failing to comfort your own baby. Thanks

Sounds like night terrors to me. Trying to comfort her will make her worse. Its best to just leave her to come out of it and go back to sleep..she wont remember it in the morning.

Night terrors sounds plausible. I just thought she might have been too young? Leaving her means risking her sister wakes (sharing a room) but perhaps it is for the best. Big sister can come into me if she needs to.

Thanks for the idea.

She is young but it's not unheard of.

Sympathies. .DD used to have them, they are hard.

She grew out of them though.

Thanks FanjoForTheMammaries. Appreciate your responses!

BTW, how long did it take? Weeks? Months?

Sorry..years..but DD has SN and they started later.

Both of mine had nightmares under night terrors, although not as young as this.

What if onus I had to do was get them out of their rooms as quickly as possible- they needed to be physically somewhere else before th could come out of it. I used to bring them downstairs and sit close but not touching on the sofa, talking all the time until they came round.
Horrible, isn't it?

Sorry, nightmares and night terrors.

I really wouldn't advise leaving.......

They are not awake if it's a night terror. Any attempt to comfort will just make it worse and feel like being attacked. She will not remember it next day.

We have been seeing sleep professionals for YEARS due to DD's other issues.

It is their advice.and it worked

OK. Didn't for us.

Why not try both approaches, OP and see what works for your child.

My 14 month old is like this atm. I'm pretty sure its nothing more than sore teeth and wanting a bit of attention from mummy and daddy because lo and behold as soon as she comes into our bed she settles straight away.

Our poor neighbours must be ready to call the environmental health.

All very interesting. Agreed, rachyconks about the settling in our room much faster - but it does appear that she isn't awake. We will definitely be looking a bit closer and trying a few things out. FanjoFTM, that is interesting information indeed.

Thank you all very much. MUCH appreciate

My 15mo does this now and again. We tried calpol/neurofen then comforting and going back every ten minutes. It would take her 3 hours or more to go back to sleep. Eventually my DP insisted that we tried a 'drug-hug-drop' technique...! This doesn't involve dropping her by the way. It means give her some medicine as it is probably teeth, check she is not hot/running a temp/pooed, give her a 10 minute cuddle until the medicine kicks in then return to cot and leave her. I wasn't convinced by the idea, but she screamed blue murder for 5 minutes, grizzled loudly for 5 minutes, then grizzled quietly for 10-15 minutes until she went back to sleep. So instead of three hours it's only about half an hour awake. We have managed it this way every time (happens a couple of times a month since she turned 1 and started cutting big teeth).

Not for everyone, but we found interfering with her too much just stimulated her and kept her awake longer. I don't know if it's teeth or just awake and not sure of the time, but 3 hour wake ups were not good for anyone and it has worked for us.