Help 2.5yr old waking & screaming in the middle of the night

[forgottenfreetime]

Hi, My ds has been a good sleeper since six months old. He doesn't exactly like to go to bed but accepts it. Recently he has started to wake in the night around 2/3am and start screaming. Won't self settle (I've left him around 20mins) and is incredibly difficult to settle after I go in to him. I have tried to say 'Its still bedtime, Night night' and give him a cuddle and walk out but he clings to me, sobbing. After relenting and going through bedtime story he still cries as I walk out of room. It seems to reassure him slightly if I then leave the hall light on. I have dd 6 months too who is not yet sleeping through so am shattered. Any suggestions about what is waking him and how we can stop a pattern emerging? Thanks.

Could it be night terrors? I'm pretty sure they kick in at about this age. DS2 (3) woke up crying at this age although he was almost still half asleep. Has your lo got a night light? My two boys (the other one is 5) both seem to need the comfort of a light, especially when they wake in the middle of the night.

My DS1 did this too at the same age, he is now nearly 3.

I find that if he needs a wee, but is asleep and confused he will wake up and shout and scream, and if I go in and ask him he will say yes he does want a wee. But in his asleep confused state he knows he needs something but isn't sure etc....

Other reasons, IMO, included if he had ever watched Scooby Doo, (even A pup called Scooby Doo with the obligatory "ghost" or "Monster", he just can't cope with it, too scary), or we had a read a new story with a mildly scary twist like Jack and the beanstalk (he didn't like the giant) things like that.

I did find that a cuddle, lots of soothing words, sometimes two visits back in but being firm and insistent that all was fine, still night time, go back to sleep darling, did work.

Good luck!

Bloss

My dd did the wee thing at this age too. It frightened the life out of our babysitters once, because I forgot to mention it! I found, if I didn't make a sound, just guided her to the loo and back into bed, the whole episode was over much quicker. She never remembered what she'd done in the morning either.

we had a few weeks of this with DT1, and it stopped as quickly as it started. Night after night i would be asleep on the bedroom floor rubbing his foot, until one night he would not settle even after foot rubbing, so DH came in sent me to be, did something, no idea what, DT1 asleep in minutes. Ever since its been his job! BINGO!

Not sure if it the security thing, DT knew he could wrap me round his finger but not his dad, but whatever, it worked. And after a few more weeks of him waking once or twice he's stopped again.

Thanks for messages. We don't have a night light but I can leave the door open and the hall light on for a few days and see if it makes a difference before buying one if that sorts it. I guess he is going to sleep in the light at the moment and waking in the dark. He has just started to get the idea of being afraid of the dark in a very mild way - when we go through a wood he says 'spooky mummy'. He seems to think its fun at the time so I hadn't associated it with this but its possible he feels differently at night on his own.
Glad to hear that it might just be a phase though. Really don't want to have a waking every night toddler!