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Help Please I'm desperate...

13 replies

Beksmum · 09/01/2007 13:04

My ds will be 5 in March and for the last couple of years he has suffered with night terros, he is not aware of them in the morning so this is less of a problem.

However, he has now started crying out No, no, no constantly in his sleep, it can happen at any time during the night but seems to be happening at around 3am at the moment.

He will also wake up crying that his legs hurt, we had put the disturbed sleep down to growth spurts as everything seems to coincide but it is happening every 6-8 weeks now and lasting a week or so at a time.

He does have a very bad habit of walking on his toes when he has no shoes on, it is not a conscious thing he has just always done it and we are forever telling him to walk properly, I am now wondering if this is what is casuing the pain.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated as we have a 14 month old too who is also a restless sleeper, so sleep is precious when we can get some. Thanks in advance Beksmum

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Maisymoo · 09/01/2007 13:20

Lack of sleep is a awful so I feel for you.

Maybe growth has something to do with aching legs, mine have compplained in the past. Also more activites at school might do this if he has had a change of routine from starting in Sep last year (if that is the case). Walking to school for example might contribute if you do that, or PE / gym at school.

My eldest DD walks, talks, sings and shouts in her sleep. So you are not alone. Younger dd does noting except gets some zzzzz's.

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Beksmum · 09/01/2007 15:18

Thanks Maisymoo, sounds like your nights are as fun filled as mine, does your dd know she's doing it?

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frumpygrumpy · 09/01/2007 15:19

I have a great book, Solving Your Child's Sleep Problem, Dr Richard Ferber. Amazon have it, I'll try to link it......

It has a section on night terrors but the book as a whole is very good.

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frumpygrumpy · 09/01/2007 15:21

this is the book, and its very good

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kiskidee · 09/01/2007 18:49

here is another book with deals with sleep in toddlers and young children. Pantley has a very different style and ethos to Ferber so it is worth considering how you parent before you make a decision.

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Beksmum · 09/01/2007 21:29

Thanks ladies - I'll be on the look out for both of these books tomorrow. Here's to a peaceful nights sleep for all. Thanks again Beks

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danceswithbaby · 10/01/2007 16:00

You should get his legs checked out anyway. If he keeps walking on his toes it could be that he has short achilles tendons which can get really sore when stretched (i.e. heels down). Might explain painful legs and also might explain why he is more comfy on his toes. Just a thought.

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Londoner · 11/01/2007 10:22

Hi Beks, you poor thing. [hug]
I'm not sure what to say, it sounds like you're thinking of all the things I would have suggested. Have you asked any professionals? Interesting advice on here I think, v. helpful suggestions. Mine have all suffered pains in their limbs with growth spurts even so I gave Calpol but it's interesting about the walking on toes thing, it could be linked you're right.
Do you have a service where you can request a call to discuss with your GP? They might help?

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wotzsaname · 12/01/2007 00:06

Beksmum answer to your question - a few days late as I have been busy on 10p ebay listing day for last 48 hours

No she doesnt know she does it.

She looks wide away, but is in a kind of trance. Bit scary, but we are all used to it. She sometimes she laughs when we tell her what shes been up to. We dont make a fuss and try not to embaris her, because she does find it abit odd.
On a serious note as she sleep walks, we make sure everything is locked at night and there are child catches on all upstairs windows etc.

We dont stop her from sleep overs with friends, but tell parents what to do if they find her on their landing!

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AtterySquash · 12/01/2007 01:09

If you're prepared to go down this road you could contact www.mill-pond.co.uk/. They worked wonders for my us.

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wotzsaname · 12/01/2007 12:38

Thanks AS the site looks good.
We have advice from a sleep clinc when DD1 little about 3yrs as she was a bad baby and toddler sleeper and by then i had dd2 who loved to sleep. The advice was good and we took most onboard, which helped.
However looking back it is obvious to us that this was a nature not nurture problem with DD1. She is very hyper in her sleep and has very vivid dreams. As i said dd2 stays perfectly still and sound asleep all night, even snores sometimes! I will look at dd2 when she is asleep, its lovely, nothing will wake her if i go close to her. But dd1, is a very light sleeper and i have to stay away, or she'll wake up.

I think sleep patterns are passed in the genes. I talk and shout in my sleep sometimes.

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wotzsaname · 12/01/2007 12:43

Beksmum I think you should get any help on offer, like sleep clincs, however active light sleepers like yours and mine are not in the minority. You just have to find out whats best for you all.
Now I dont always jump out of bed to settle dd as she gets herself back to sleep. I used to wake her up not realising she wasnt fully awake anyway. If shouts for a while I do go in and settle her, but try not to talk to her much, so she can go off again. Sometimes I have to put her back into bed.

Hope it gets better and try not to be frightened. Does ds know he is doing it?

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Beksmum · 15/01/2007 12:05

Wotszaname, thanks for your reply, hope the e-bay bidding went well. My ds doesn't know he wakes up shouting or that he's having night terrors so we don't make a big deal of it with him.

As you say i think you're right about it being passed on as I oftent talk in my sleep and I am a constant fidget, although we have just bought a fancy foam mattress which is making me stay put a little bit more

Atterysquash thanks for that link I'm going to have a roper look at it later.

Hopefully my ds will gorw out of it soon enough, I'm just gearing myself upf or ds2 to be the same and who needs a good nights sleep anyway.

Thanks again for your advice and support, it's good to know I'm not the only one up and about in the night. Beks

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