5 Year Old Daughter Won't Sleep Through the Night

Updated on May 23, 2008
D.M. asks from Venice, FL
8 answers

My 5 year old daughter who will be 6 at the end of June isn't sleeping through the night. She used to, but now she isn't. She'll wake up and then come into our bedroom and wake us up. Just last night she ended up sleeping on our floor and we didn't know it until the morning. She does take an allergy medication of the morning, but she's been taking this for a couple years now. Any suggestions would be great! Thank you.

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So What Happened?

First I want to thank everyone for their suggestions!! She still wakes up at night, but she doesn't wake us up. She just sleeps on our floor if she feels she needs to. Eventually we know that she will sleep all night in her bed. Again thank you to everyone that helped!!

More Answers

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T.H.

answers from Tampa on

sounds like something might be scaring her. Take her to mcdonalds and talk about it. I use to sleep on my parents floor when I was 5 because I was scared of the monsters my aunt told me was in the closet

2 moms found this helpful
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S.L.

answers from Tampa on

Hi D.,
My six year old son also went through a phase of about 3 weeks where he would wake up in the middle of the night and want to sleep with mom and dad. This was almost a year ago and he has since had no problems. I just let him sleep in our bed and didn't make a big deal about it and it soon passed.

2 moms found this helpful
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K.J.

answers from Tampa on

This sounds very familiar to me. My 7 year old son did this. He had night terrors and has had frequent nightmares and has come to my room almost every night. UNTIL. I took him to the ears nose and throat doctor and found out that his tonsils and his adnoids were large. He had them removed (I know sounds scary but a very easy and short surgery) I suggest Drs. at All Children's Hospital and having the surgery in Brandon Childrens Day Surgery Center. SO WORTH THE TRIP!

HE SLEEPS THROUGH THE NIGHT! YEAH!

I would check it out. Ironically enough I just read about this very thing in one of them most recent months popular magazines...like good housekeeping or something like that.

I hope this helps!
Blessings,
K. J.

2 moms found this helpful
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J.W.

answers from Lakeland on

My almost 5 year old is doing the same. Sometimes she sleeps well and other times she wakes up every night and gets up and down out of the bed all night. Try turning a fan on in her room. The noise from the fan is soothing and helps them sleep better. It could also be something on her mind that's waking her up. Just ask her if there is anything bothering her. My daughter still does this sometimes but usually she just gets up to go to the bathroom. Try to start writing down everything. When she wakes up, what time she eats, uses the bathroom, nap times, time she goes to bed, what time she wakes up at night and you'll start to see patterns. For example, you might notice every time she skips an afternoon snack she wakes up at night or every time she takes a nap at 2 pm she wakes up at 3 am.

1 mom found this helpful
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M.H.

answers from Tampa on

My daughter is going to be 6 in December & I have a hard time getting her to sleep in her bed. Most of the time she'll crawl into this big beanbag chair I have & crash there. She's also on allergy meds but unless your daughter wakes up coughing or congested (mine does, at times), I don't think that would have much to do w/ it. A lot of people don't like to use TV to put kids to sleep but I find that the lights & sound help to soothe her. A music box might work too. Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful
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P.G.

answers from Tampa on

D.,

I have a 3 year old and 5 year old who occasionally come into our room in the middle of the night. It was disrupting our sleep when one of them tried to crawl into bed with us. So, during the day, or before bedtime, we would let our kids know that if they came into our room in the middle of the night, they would have to sleep on the floor (of course we had it set up with a soft comforter and pillow) and they were not to wake us up. On some occasions we wake up with our little guests sleeping on the floor next to us. We don't make a big deal about it and figure they will grow out of it. And everyone gets a good night's sleep. Sometimes little ones just need a bit of added security at night. Good Luck. Let me know what happens.

1 mom found this helpful
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M.B.

answers from Tampa on

Hello Deanna

My Name is M. I think its really important to make sure her naps are 1hr if any naps at all. Also 1 hour before she is to lay down try a quick 10-20min of tickle time and then the rest of the time make it as quiet as possible. (I do this with my almost 2 year old who didn't sleep through the nite till 16mths old) Another important thing is a well balanced non gassy stick to your ribs type of food, and right before bed I give him a special kids shake. I do this because we all eat at different times and kids metabolism is so high they burn right through dinner and by the time they get ready for bed it has been a few hours and these shakes are great for the calming of the belly but yet filling. That way she is content for her journey of sweet dreams. Good luck sweetie I hope I helped! Email me if you are interested in the shake!

1 mom found this helpful
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A.G.

answers from Punta Gorda on

Kids go through phases. She may just be frightened and need to be close to you. If you getting sleep is the issue, make her a sleeping bag next to the bed and let her lay there when she comes in. She is not going to want to sleep with you when she is 15 it is not going to last forever. My 12 year old still once or twice a month will climb into our bed if there is a bad rain storm. She just needs comfort. Don't worry about it.

1 mom found this helpful
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