2 Year Old with Sleep Problems

I am the mom to 2.8 yo twins. I also have 3 grown boys. My kids have never slept all night until about 3yo. (including the boys). In order for me to get any sleep when they were about 6 mons I would sleep in there room. This was also so my husband could sleep so he could go to work the next day. Then when they were about a year they stopped sleeping in their cribs and started sleeping with me on a mattress in the floor. We call it the family bed. Ok so now we moved and they got their own room. It started out pretty good. They would sleep in their own bed in their own room. Well my son started waking up screaming and wouldn't go back to sleep. Now we all sleep in my room in my bed with me and Daddy! It's ok, we all get some sleep and I know they will out grow it. I would just make her feel safe and let her sleep. I am not one for the CIO thing or letting them feel insecure. They will out grow this stage. I figure at about 3 I will be painting their rooms how they want and decorating them to make them feel safe. Then they will sleep in there. Maybe if you sleep in her room with her she will not be afraid any more and you can slip away as she gets use to it???

R. have a son that has had night terrors since he was 5 weeks old and is now 13 months they have gotten better his were to the extrem... I am not a fan of periatricians I have seen to may miss diagnosises by them. First of all there is a HUGE differance form night terrors and nightmears one of the biggest is a child WILL NOT remember a night terror... if this is what is happening let them go through them that is a lot harder to do than to say second of all they must take a nap during the day no matter how hard this is to do they have to learn to slow their mind down and then really limit the sugar. A child that has night terrors will usually be a more active child and more intellaent and they can't slow their mind down. You need to make sure that she is in a bed that she can't hit her head or fall out of. Night terrors are very scarry and most people don't know what they are and get them confused with nightmears. There have been some nights that we finally had to try and start the night over because our son would be come so violent to him self and when we picked him up his eyes would be open but he's not awake and he would not know us or what was going on HE WAS NOT AWAKE the best thing is to take them outside and a lot of times the cool fresh air will wake them up and calm them a little but they will be confused on why they are being woke up and where they are. I wish you the best of luck and I know how hard this is our son would have 13 night terrors and night every night...

It sounds like night terrors. My mom told me I had them when I was a baby--she was also told that there's nothing she can do and I did eventually outgrow them. I know that's not much consolation. There's a book by Richard Ferber called Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems--he addresses sleep terrors in a section of it. That might help. Sorry and good luck!

Have there been any changes or does she toss and turn a lot? My son had night terrors because he would toss and turn and fall out of bed. We got him a bigger bed and the sleep problems stopped.

I really don't know what to say, expect if you are worried about it ask your doctor to send you to a specalist. My son had to see one and still is seeing one, it's not for nightmares. Just try holding her and getting her to take a nap, or lay down with her in the day time. She might sleep better knowing that you are there, until she gets rid of the nightmares. As far as her sleeping on the floor, take her mattress, put it on the floor. Good luck, with your daugther keep.

Hi, I'm a new mom to this site. I read your nightmare trama. My daughter use to have nightterrors too. My gf said to just let her go for about 10min and see if she can bring herself out of them. It took awhile, but now when she has them its only for a few minutes and I don't even have to get out of bed. We had to work with her for about 4 or 5 months. Also, if she has a nightlight think about taking it away, it could be casting shadows. If she has a fav soft toy let her sleep with it and get a sleeping bag to let her sleep on the floor. If theres alot of noise when she goes to sleep then you go to bed and the noise is gone, maybe it gets too quiet for her. Try some music or other noise for her room. If she has a plastic sheet on the bed take it off, that was a big problem with mine. Hope this helps. Bye
T. L.

Hi R.!

I'm sorry that you are going though all of this. I have one suggestion because I am a first time mom and when I have sleep questions I go to BabyCenter.com to the Bullitin Boards. There is a section on teaching your baby to sleep. Here is the link. http://boards.babycenter.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?webtag=bcus.... There is one mother on there I think gives excellent advice. Her name is Tanya. I hope this helps. Good Luck!!

K.

Hey R., I talked with my mother about your situation. Riley Hospital, the children's hospital, will NOT turn you or medicaid away. WALK RIGHT IN TO RILEY--skip over the doctors. This may be a food allergy problem or an environmental issue you just don't know about. I feel so bad for your daughter and I just hope you can get her the help she needs. This would at least be a start and they would definitely be willing to help you! Good luck and please, let us know how it goes.

Well, i do know that if children watch tv before going to bed that they have a tendency to have bad dreams, or eating before bed. Try not letting her have any food or watch tv an hour before bed. Maybe try reading to her so that would make her a little more calm. I dont know if you believe in the supernatural or not but they say that children can see apparitions that we cannot. Ask your daughter if she sees something, But then again shes two and she might not understand what you are asking. I wish I could help you some more. krys

R.
I would keep finding answers if there is any place to take her outside of your town I would. There is no reason that you and your family should be sleepless and soon you aren't going to beable to function!! My daughter went through this however it was very short and sweet. But I will tell you that you have to do whatever you can do to wake her up!! Make sure that her eyes are not only open but she ahs to be awake. Once you get her awake then she will beable to tell you what is happening! That advice might help until you get her in to see someone!! Good Luck and Keep us posted!! A.

I've been going through sleeping problems with my 14mo for months now and it never occured to me to do this. She would be up for HOURS every night, normally around 2am, and it makes going to work at 6am very tiring. What time does your little one go to bed? I had been putting Courtney to bed at 7pm, but I bumped it back to 8. I also started leaving her closet light on in case she's scared of the dark...try the light first and maybe adjust her bedtime a little and see what happens. Good luck!

I am originally from Jasper, IN. When I lived there my daughter had the same problems. He told us to get melatonin 3mg. You give them a 1/2 a pill every night, about 30 minutes before bed time. It is a natural herb that regulates the melatonin levels in her system. Do this for about two weeks and for the 3rd week do every other night. After that you have a sleeping child. Trust me it is a God send. You can by it anywhere. Walmart, target, the drug store. It is found every where. it is a purple bottel and all I did was crush it up and put it in her milk or food.

Oh, and as far as the night terrors and waking threw the night, that will all stop. Once she is sleeping it all goes away. My daughter was doing everything yours is and it works. Night terrors and night mares tend to happen when the child is not sleeping thier body tends to over react and do the opposite of what it should. Trust me this pill works and it is not addictive or harmful.