Please, please, help, DD 3.6 not sleeping, screaming, can't do this much longer.

[TheGashlycrumbTinies]

DD2 3.6 has never slept well, from being a baby woke every 45 mins.

A good night for us is if she wakens 3-4 times.

The last 2-3 weeks has screamed, thrown things at the door for hours on end, wont go to bed at all, we have tried EVERYTHING, cranial osteopathy, rewards, taking things away, star charts, reasoning, changing her room around, medised and then phenegan at the health visitors advice. (now stopped) nothing works, we have now had her screaming and shouting since 7pm.

We also have DD1 who is really suffering as she is not able to sleep through this.

Last weekend we all got about 9 hours sleep total.

Really have no idea how much more of this we can take.

Am keeping a s;eep diary for the HV, she is coming to see us next Friday.

Totally desperate.

Have you reviewed her diet, in case she is eating something which is causing this?

Her diet is really good, balanced, home made, organic, free range, you name it. We have also just started her on fish oils.
Up until the last month she would go to sleep in her room, but waken during the night, be taken to the loo, and resettle. Since then nothing has changed in her diet.
Am currently sat at top of stairs, having eaten my supper here, poor DD1 is downstairs exhausted, with DH not knowing what do for the best.

Is she very bright? I was like this - didn't sleep through the night consistently until I was 11 (although once I hit 7 or so I just used to wait until my parents had gone to bed, then turn my light back on and read until dawn). I was terrified of the dark, had a hugely overactive imagination and hated being alone in my room.

Do you think she's scared of sleeping - night terrors etc - or does she just hate going to bed and being 'left out'?

She is a bright little thing, and has said she is afraid of the dark, she has a night light and the door left slightly ajar.

I am nearly at breaking point, please don't suggest this will go on for years, we have had less than 5 nights full sleep since she was born.

My nephew gets Melatonin to make him sleepy. His body doesnt produce it naturally and so he needs it to make him feel sleepy. Maybe make an appointment for your gp and they can get her assessed by a sleep clinic. The only other thing I could suggest is to allow her to play quitely in her room, even if it is 3am, at least the whole house isnt awake.

Have there been any other changes in her life recently? A bereavement? A start at pre-school? A house move?

She won't play unfortunately, she just goes totally ballistic.

SW How did they know he needed melatonin?

Have just gone and screamed back at her, not helped, obviously, what can we do?

The fact that you're posting on here shows that you're concerned and want to sort the problem out, BEaTS. My parents didn't really try to tackle the problem (plus it was the 70s and sleep therapists etc didn't have much currency back then!). I second singyswife - take her to your GP and try to get a referral to a sleep clinic. It must be so difficult and frustrating for you, but having been in your DD's situation I think it must be awful for her too - I was utterly overcome with terror at bedtime and it made me very unhappy. GP is definitely the way to go. HTH.

No, no other changes, the only thing that changed her routine in anyway was Christmas, with 2 later nights than normal and the usual Christmas type excitement.

I can't imagine how you are feeling after 3+ years of this, but as mum to a young child who doesn't sleep I can sympathise with the awful tiredness and desperation. Really hope you get this sorted soon, it sounds like you need some real support in the night instead of someone telling you what you should do and then going away again.

Have you heard of the Millpond sleep clinic? I have heard them mentioned here and people have found them helpful, i think, if expensive.

Best wishes and lots of sympathy.

That's what makes it so, so difficult, Ihate to think of my DD being scared.

She is the brightest sweetest, funniest little thing, who sing and tells great stories all the time, but when she is like this ...

He has AS. He would still be up running around full of energy at 4am while his parents were dead on their feet. He would create hell when then insisted he went to bed as he just wasnt tired and couldnt understand how it was bedtime when he wasnt tired. He never knew what it was to be tired.

They got a sleep clinic involved (through the gp)who tried to teach them how to put him to sleep (3rd child so they knew all this) then they were referred to a pead who suspected he wasnt making melatonin and gave them some on prescription. The difference was instant. He now goes to bed at 8pm every night and sleeps till 7am.

Oh gosh, I'm all out of ideas now. I'm so sorry that you are going through this though. Lack of sleep sucks.

How old is dd1?

Not heard of the Millpond clinic, will research it, thanks.

We spent £160 a month, from her being 5 weeks to a year, going for weekly cranial osteopathy sessions, it's amazing how you can find the money if you really need to.

have you tried music or a story tape CD these help to calm my 4 year old usually keep the CD on repeat all night!

good luck

CSWS thanks for your ideas. I think I may try to make an appointment with the GP.

DD1 is 5 and at school.

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bumping for you

Finally settled at 10.10.

Only 3 hours and 10 mins of misery.

for you. Keep posting, there are some real sleep(lessness) experts in here.

boiledegg unless hv has suggested they have any special plan then i think they will just send you to gp anyway.

it must be horrible for all of you, we have a bit of sleep trouble here but nothing like yours and i know how much it makes me and dh fight.

aloha (who used to post here) hired a sleep training expert which i believe did work. you could look in archives for that.

Bumping for the morning crowd.

Bumpity, bump.