2yo waking, crying hysterically and can’t settle. HELP/advice? Teething or something else?

[Geo0905]

Hi, since December, my toddler (now 25 months) has been having spells of waking during the night absolutely hysterical. It can be instant with no build up and the only way to calm her is to take her into the living room and putting a relaxing baby sensory video on YouTube for her to eventually fall back asleep to. She will be in and out of sleep crying out and wriggling and uncomfortable almost fighting me but doesn’t want to be alone. Has anyone else experienced this?

we bedshate as she’s has never been a ‘good sleeper’ but things had started to improve. She has her back four molars to come through and this all started as her canines came in. I suspect teeth but the behaviour seems so extreme. The outbursts are so intense. She’s definitely not asleep.

I’m due another baby in 10 weeks and I’m terrified of managing sleep with 2.

My son used to have this - I came to the conclusion it was some kind of night terrors. Sounds bonkers but taking him outside used to work - the change of scene helped him to properly wake up (and out of the terror/misery fug) which allowed him to properly settle again.

Sounds like nigjt terrors. They are mote likely to happen when they are over tired or ill.

Could be two year sleep regression?

My 2.5 year old never was always a great sleeper but about 2 months before turning two he would just wake and cry throughout the night.

It was the worst sleep regression we ever had. We ended up googling some techniques to help him through it which took about two weeks to properly embed (after two weeks of us not knowing what to do!)

It was 4 weeks of the worst sleep and bedtime routine ever!

He did used to do as you describe: wake from nothing and cry hysterically. But he also refused bed and wanted to come in with us (he is in his own room). We were quite firm with him and just had to keep going in and reassuring him,

As PP have said, it may be night terrors or something else but in my group of mums with similar aged toddlers, we all seemed to have really bad sleep regression anytime from 29 months-26 months

Haha! Should say 'always was a good sleeper' no idea where 'never' appeared from in the above post!

Could it be night growing pains? If she is coming to the end of a sleep cycle and experiencing growing pains it could wake her and make her hysterical?

When my son was that age,I co slept too, but I remember so many.nights he'd start crying and get deranged almost. I used to take him downstairs too, give cuddles and wait it out. Sorry for no more advice but wanted.to say it was normal for my son

My son had spells of night terrors from 1.5 to 2.5yr. leaving him to it was the best way to deal with it. If I went in it would wake him fully and he'd be awake for an hour or more trying to settle but if I left him he was back to a full deep sleep within about 3-5 minutes, usually less.

It always started with a bone chilling scream which used to make me want to run to him immediately but I am glad that I found leaving him to help.

He's in his own room so that is diffy I guess but I wanted to note that we never did cry it out so that wasn't what was happening here.

🙄*different

Following with interest as we are in same bit. Although I have never conslept it doesn't agree with me or DS but he wakes hysterical. Yesterday he woke at 3.30am and didn't go back to sleep. At all

We are also expecting another baby in 15 weeks!

Ear, tonsil or adenoids issue, glue ear, infection, etc?

@Garman that's what we are thinking as DS sufferers with ear infections really bad. Like one every 6 weeks are so. Do just waiting for the gloop in the ear to confirm.

My ds had one or more ear infections that went completely unnoticed and never had anything come out of his ears, the screaming hysterically unable to sleep was the only sign. Just to note there isn't always an obvious infection with obvious symptoms like temp or pus.

It’s probably worth a trip to the GPto rule out any issues but it sounds like night terrors to me.

Thanks all for your messages !

im not sure about it being night terrors. It makes sense in the way that she suddenly wakes hysterical out of nowhere, but she whimpers and gets upset every time she starts to drift off again as if she can’t get comfy.

she is also refusing bedtime and nap time and when she teethed her canines, she was very similar in this way leading me to think it could be linked to teething.

@Whatelsecouldibecalled feel for you, it’s so tough!! She is just so unsettled in the night jerking and tossing and turning and moaning. Calpol does seem to get us a bit of a block of sleep sometimes.

im just at my whits end with it all, my hips are killing me due to pregnancy, I’ve never enjoyed co sleeping, it’s just been a necessity due to the amount of wake ups. So far it’s never felt right to get her in her own bed and any attempts have failed.

I have been to the gp before but they’ve not been the best help. Last time I asked them to check her tonsils because she has always paused breathing in her sleep, but he said they look normal and not to worry about pauses in breathing unless it’s over 20 seconds and she turns blue…she definitely seems uncomfortable but she’s not tugging at anywhere (ear /nappy / teeth) or giving any indication of pain. She does kick her legs out and I wonder is she has RLS so going to try some magnesium supplements. Just wish I knew when this would end . Since December, we’ve had one month where she wasn’t I’ll or teething and sleep was mostly better ( atleast no Hysterical outbursts) so my whole pregnancy has been really sleep deprived and stressed out and I really worry what our situation will be in a few weeks time.