Restless Sleep in Toddler (16 Mo. Old)

How late is he going to bed? Night terrors are very common in some kids, and there is a research correlation found with being overtired.

With my older son, when he was taking a one hour nap and going to bed at 9:30pm (about 10.5-11 hours sleep total), he was having night terrors a LOT at that age.

I moved up his bedtime to 7:00pm, and his nap became optional, so he started getting about two hours more of sleep for 12+ total. The night terrors were gone.

Every time he goes to bed later than 8:00, he still wakes up with nightmares in the middle of the night. It is definitely related.

So try putting him to bed earlier and see if that helps. When he wakes up, is he able to speak or say anything?

Does he have any pain during the daytime? Earaches, anything like that? Could he be hungry?

I don't know if he is verbal yet, or how much you are able to find out, but I would try the sleep first, then also have him checked for ear infection, and lastly, make sure he has a good healthy snack (and tooth brushing) before bedtime.

L. Hamilton
http://www.theportablebaby.com

S., we had the same problem with our little guy and attributed it to him and teething. We thought he got used to waking at night, so it became part of his night time routine. We started giving him warm milk in a sippy cup before bed to help relax him and just had to wean him off his "habit" slowly.

My son was the same way and grew out of it. He still wakes up occassionally a couple times a night crying. Is his crying inconsolably or is it just short lived and he falls back asleep? Are you running in there the moment he starts crying or giving him a moment to figure out where he is and let himself settle down? I find when my son is on his routine, he sleeps much better. Making sure my son has his nap during the day helps him sleep easier at night because he is not over tired. Also, take a look around his room/bed and see if there is anything that could be interrupting his sleep. A lot of times the answer is right there in front of us. Good luck.

I had the same problem with my son. So I would have him nap at 12- in the afternoon and then we would play for hours on end to make him tired, for dinner we would have him eat at 5- it would be something not to heavy on the stomach then when it was time for bed at 7- I would give him a bottle with Rice ceral in it to make his stomach full because its heavy, it worked.. I was so releaved..
:-) Good Luck

I would possibly look for another pediatrician because one who would remove the babies' adenoids at such an early age draws my suspicion.

Aside from that, have you examined your child's diet and sleep patterns throughout the day?

Stay away from refined sugar, no sodas, limit juices, and stay away from processed foods (pre made foods), and caffeine. Caffeine comes in many foods, so be careful!

Try fresh fruits and plenty of exercise to burn off his energy. Try wearing him out after his afternoon nap.

Give him a good full tummy, a bath, possibly a late snack of fruit or oatmeal (if you eat too early of a dinner), spend 15 minutes of reading time, and rub his back, legs, arms, and feet. He needs to wear himself out, eat properly, and learn how to relax his body.

I hope this helps!

Hi S., you may find this an unusual response but here is something I learned awhile back.....try taking him to someone who practices Bioenergetic Synchronization Technique....go to www.morter.com and look in the practitioner section for someone in your city.....it sounds like it could be a disruption in your son's energy field. B.E.S.T. is a physical procedure that removes interference from a person's energy field....if you have heard of accupuncture it uses the same system used in that method of treatment. I hope this is helpful info for you. Good luck.

Hi S., we had the same problem with our son. This may seem crazy, but it all stop once he gave up his mid day nap. He still got about 14 hours of sleep a night and the crying and waking stopped. I know it isn't right for every child but it sure worked for us. Good luck.