2 year old always tired. Should I be worried?

[newmammyof2]

DS sleeps from 8pm until 6 or 7am, uninterrupted every night. He'll nap for between 40 minutes to an hour each day, yet he is constantly tired, has bags under his eyes and now it's affecting his moods, he's gone from being a really good child to bring so grumpy and disruptive it's like I don't know my own child. He takes a daily vitamin, and he won't have any more naps during the day or go to bed any earlier at night.

This has been the case for about a fortnight now.

Is this normal or should I be concerned? "Dr Google" says to get him checked out but is it really necessary?

Go to your doctor. It may just be a growth spurt or it may not.

It's probably nothing, but visit your GP to put your mind at rest

My first thought was a growth spurt as he complains his knee is sore, but he's had no increased appetite, in fact the opposite his appetite seems to have practically gone, he's a nightmare to get to eat more than a spoonful or two of anything. I think I might book an appointment just to see xx

Its probably a virus if its just been a couple of weeks.

How easy is it to get him to sleep when it is naptime and bedtime?

Is it just in cot with comforter (or whatever) and he goes to sleep? Or is there more to getting hom to go to sleep?

FATEdestiny it's a hard task for him to get his nap in the day, and nighttime DH lays with him until he goes to sleep or else he won't go on his own. But this has always been the case it's nothing new. Other than daytime naps being harder to enforce. Why do you ask? Xx

How much is he doing during the day? Has he got down time that isn't in front of a screen? Is his diet sufficiently nutritious in terms of iron?

I was just thinking about what you said:

he won't have any more naps during the day or go to bed any earlier at night

If he finds going to sleep quite easy, then I would be inclined to think the amount of sleep he is getting is just enough for him. It's on the lower side of average, but not unheard of.

But if it's a battle to get him to sleep then it suggests he does need more sleep, that he needs that earlier bedtime or longer daytime nap you mention he refuses. But that getting to sleep is a problem for him.

Given that, sleep training could well be effective to get him sleeping more and longer. But definately check with the doctor first in case this is a medical issue.

At 2 years old I would expect 11-12h uninterputed sleep over night and 90m-3h lunchtime nap (depending on the child)

Crumbs1 he is on the go all day but we do have a sit down story time twice a day to try to get a bit of chill time.
As for nutrition he has had a small appetite lately but does take a daily vitamin that includes iron. But whatever he does eat is good food x

FATEdestiny I knew the daytime nap wasn't much but I did think he was getting enough sleep through the night, by sleep training do you mean "cry it out" sort of training? We tried that when he was younger and it didn't work for us, I didn't like the process either tbh xx

That doesn't sound like enough sleep to be honest, my 3 year old does 11-12 hours at night and 1.5-2 in the day. A 40min nap after 8pm bedtime and up at 6/7 and he'd be knackered.

by sleep training do you mean "cry it out" sort of training?

No no.

Aside from the fact that i never think Cry It Out is necessary, it would be completely ineffective at 2 years old anyway. So utterly pointless xreation of need less stress that would just be detrimental to everything.

I would start teaching hom how to go to sleep by himself with a process of Rapid Return. I would be inclined to think gradual withdrawal would be difficult in your situation, but you could try.

If your husband or you want to lie down with him when going to sleep then you need to stay like that, as in cosleep. Lots of 2 year olds cosleep and this is fine. You sort of half-cosleep and half not.

The sleep is due you have comes down to mixed messages and lack of consistancy.

"is due" = issue

FATEdestiny I think I get what you mean by we have to co sleep with him, the issue with that being that we have an 8 week old that we do co sleep with who wakes during the night for feeds, I don't the newborn waking, then me moving around to feed him, to disturb the 2 year old if you get me? I do agree with you & others, it's obvious to me now he's not getting enough sleep but the trick is how do I do it with a new baby as well, daytimes are especially hard in this sense. Lately I'm getting to the end of the day feeling like I've failed at least one of the kids. This new development seems daunting

With a new baby who also needs you, I would go with the short, sharp shock of Rapid Return.

Basically you:

• tuck into bed with kiss
• say a mantra which encompasses your expectations. Something like "sleep time now, we lie in bed quietly at bedtime. Nan night"
• immediately leave
• deliberately close door without hesitation. Be very clear you are leaving the room, make no atrempt to sneek out

Then wait outside of the door. Any noise that might be getting out of bed, immediately back in and repeat as above. You may literally be in and out like a yoyo for hours on the first few nights.

Make sure he has a comforter to use (soft toy or your pillow case for example). And take plenty of time during the day to explain over and over again what is going to happen.

Then just be utterly persistant and consistant about it. Keep. On. Going. Every bedtime, every naptime (which you want to start doing at a routines time, say 12pm) every time he gets oyt of bed. Get to him quickly ("rapid") and take straight back to bed to resettle ("return")

At 2 years old (through to 3 years old) my toddler had closer to 12h at night and a 3h lunchtime nap.

His knee hurts? What's that about?