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Permanently exhausted 3.5 year old

5 replies

rkhumo · 23/04/2023 22:14

Like the title says I have what feels like a permanently exhausted 3.5 year old, and I'm running out of ideas!

DC has a solid bedtime routine, bath, stories, asleep by 7:30pm - 90% of the time. DC again, 90% of the time sleeps through until around anytime between 6 and 7am.

DC dropped the daytime nap about 8 months ago, but is usually trying to have a nap anytime from 9/10am.

I'm at a loss on what I can do, quite frankly DC is a nightmare to be around when so tired, biting, hitting, attitude, and everything is a drama because DC is soo tired... I think.

I feel like we have tried everything to try and reduce how tired DC is

  • earlier bedtime for more nighttime sleep. (This either ends in a later sleep time that day as DC will fight to go to sleep, or an earlier wake which just puts us 2 steps back for the next day)
  • reintroducing the lunch nap, which derails bedtime.
  • napping in the car to/from places. This helps initially but within an hour / hour and half DC is back to being exhausted again.
  • cutting back activities and more chill time
  • reducing screen time (already minimal)

I have a doctors appointment booked, to check there isn't anything else going on... maybe an Iron deficiency is what springs to mind, but I'm at a a loss.

Is there anything painfully obvious that I'm missing here that I can be doing to help DC?

OP posts:
bumpytrumpy · 23/04/2023 22:15

How's the diet? Hydration?

Nimbostratus100 · 23/04/2023 22:16

what makes you think the bad behaviour is related to tiredness?

rkhumo · 24/04/2023 01:58

Nimbostratus100 · 23/04/2023 22:16

what makes you think the bad behaviour is related to tiredness?

Because on the rare occasion that DC isn't tired she doesn't behave like she has been (obviously sometimes DC is unreasonable etc regardless). There js a direct link in the behaviour change and the consistent tiredness.

OP posts:
rkhumo · 24/04/2023 01:59

bumpytrumpy · 23/04/2023 22:15

How's the diet? Hydration?

Drinks lots, pretty good balances varied diet

OP posts:
Gruf · 24/04/2023 02:20

Black out the windows and put her to sleep earlier. Mine had 6 months at 6pm because she just couldn’t stay awake any longer. You might find 7pm or 6.30pm better?

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