Hi,
Really need some help as at work and needing matchsticks to prop up my eyelids... DS has always been a good sleeper of sorts in that he desperately needs sleep and we have never had any problems settling in to sleep. He is often desperate to get to bed! BUT he is a sensitive little soul and things like teething / being ill seems to hit him bad.
Three days ago, he seemed to exhibit all the classic signs of teething - rosy cheeks, a slight temp, lots of saliva, went off his food etc. He also became extremely whingey. To be honest, we have never seen teething that bad before (he only has 4 teeth at the mo so a slow teether and he has had them for months so I guess he is due another batch?). We thought he was ill initially as his temp was high yesterday morning and we took him to the doctor's who thinks it might be a virus (based on the fact the DS was VERY distressed when he saw the doctor as I had to hold him still but he was back to his normal self once we left the doctor's office!).
The thing is even when he has been ill or been teething, he would wake in the night but would go back to sleep fairly quickly with a bit of comforting. But this new pattern has completely thrown us.
7pm - Goes down to sleep (No problem)
12.30-1am - Wakes up screaming and he is hysterical. If we cuddle him, he fights us off. If we rock him, same. If we bring him to bed with us, he tries to climb off while screaming hysterically the whole time. We have given him Calpol and milk (seeing as he's not eating much) and still doesn't help. We tried putting him in his cot and laying him down everytime he tries to stand up.
Last night, finally, ar around 2am, I left him in his cot in his room while he progressed to scream and cry (without tears) for the next half hour while I sat ouside in despair. This time he stops crying when I go pick him up at 2.30am. He comes to bed with us, whimpers a bit, turns over and starts snoring straightaway and slept till 6.30am when our alarm went off!
I don't really know at this stage what to try. He isn't ill (checked his temp), he doesn't want to be comforted, he doesn't want to come to bed with us. He is just hysterical! Short of just leaving him to just cry till he's tired (which I do not want to do but what else can we do as it seems cuddling/comforting him makes it worse for longer!), what else can we do? Can anyone tell me if this is usual? HELP! And thanks.
Ax