5yo has never, ever slept through the night, and I don't know what to do for her

[babypowder]

DD1, who is 5, has never had an unbroken night's sleep. She often has terrible nightmares about 90 minutes after going to sleep. She will sit up in her bed, screaming and fighting off unknown assailants - she doesn't wake up, although her eyes are open - and she becomes so hysterical that she sometimes makes herself sick. Only once she has become hysterical does she wake up.

Other nights she will sleep for approx 4hrs before she goes walkabout. She will then come into our bed, and fall into such a deep sleep that I can't wake her.

We're trying to sort out DD2s sleep patterns now (she's only 1, and we're working on her routine), but DD1 keeps waking her.

I would love to have a good night's sleep, and given the toll this must surely be taking on DD1, I feel she MUST have a good night's sleep.

Any ideas?

Sounds like night terrors - my dd1 has these, sometimes with sleepwalking - and I've been told it's a phase that will be grown out of. I certainly hope so!

How long has your dd1 had them?

She's been having night terrors for a couple of years, but has been sleepwalking since she could walk and even as a baby would never sleep through the night.

I keep thinking 'its just a phase', but she was sick all over her bed again tonight, is now in our bed, and I just don't know what to do to help her.

Have you taken any advice.g. from Doctor? it seems to be a very protracted problem.

I wish I could offer advice - but all I can say is that my dd is exactly the same. She's 4 now but I can count the number of unbroken night's sleep she's had on the fingers of one hand.

I've always been careful about giving her a relaxing, reassuring bedtime routine, but I really can't think of anything more I can do but to wait it out . Sorry I can't be more help; hopefully somebody will come along that can help us both.

poor you, this sounds exhausting. my dd is 4 and has rarely slepy through the nigt
about 10 times! she doent have terrors or anything though... have no advice, just empathy, xxx also have 1 yr old who is affected by her waking... you have my sympathy, xx

I did talk to our HV about it, and she suggested bribery and star charts Doens't work with my daughter for anything, let alone something she appears to have no control over.

Doesn't, even

I think you need to get her to a sleep clinic, but not sure how you go about this? I guess you can go via Dr's, I'm thinking about that tv programme on last year? where people with long terms problems we're sent to a special hospital programme, where they monitored and attempted to solve things. Anyone else remember this programme?

Thanks, yellowbean - sympathy very much appreciated at the moment! It is quite an isolating problem, I find.

Oh fgs what a mad suggestion! As if your dd wants to have night terrors and could stop it at will! I guess I won't mention it to mine then...

Ooh, Frizbe, I didn't see that one. Do you think they take sleep problems in young children seriously, though?

Ooh, Frizbe, I didn't see that one. Do you think they take sleep problems in young children seriously, though?

bribery has'nt worked for us either... our dd did sleep better when we changed which room she had... is that an option?

We've changed her room, changed the layout of her room - taking her opinions into consideration, obviously. She has dreamcatchers in the window and worry dolls under her pillow (willing to try anything, frankly )

I don't see why they wouldn't? seeing as she's had a problem for 5 years right? I think the Dr should take you seriously, as if she's not slept for 5 years, you haven't too right!

Oh good - there she goes again. Thank you all for your ideas, and I'll catch up later.

Sleep well!

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6375937.stm this was the show

I remember reading for night terrors, if they occur at the same time each night, you can just wake her gently a bit before they're due to start, which could break the cycle, somehow. But I think you need more specialist help, from your description. Star chart suggestion does, indeed, sound completely pointless.

www.papworthpeople.com/services.asp?section=services&nav=rssc and the link to the hospital, hth's

I don't know if this would help given your daughters night terrors but a friend of mine was at the end of her tether with a DD who had never slept through the night. I think she must have been about 4 at the and the doctor prescribed a sedative for her. She took it every night for 2 weeks and the habit of waking at night was broken. The drugs made her groggy during the day for the 2 weeks she took them but they improved things so much that it was worth it.

I saw the sleep lab programmes too. I think they prescribed drugs for night terrors there as well although they were all adults weren't they. It would definitely be worth seeing your GP to get some help.

Thanks for those links, Frizbe. I'll make an appointment with our GP and talk it through with him. Fingers crossed.

And thanks everyone for all your suggestions. I'll try to gently wake her tonight after she's been in bed for an our or so and see what that does.

let us know how you get on

Will do, thanks Frizbe.

Good luck.