[Vicky.]

Mostly looking for answers from parents, or people who have been around babies a lot

Skye is nearly 1 1/2 now and has always been a fantastic sleeper. From birth she slept through pretty much every night, and when she didnt she just had a bottle then self settled again afterwards.

The past few months, shes been waking up a fair few times a night absolutely hysterical. It seems nothing we do can calm her down..and if we leave her for a few mins she tends to go quiet again and thats the end of it for a few hours. The past 2 days it has been ****ing horrific. I was in on my own last night and I literally got about 2 hours sleep because of this..and tonight she went to bed at 9 and has been up about 10 times since so far.

The fact that she settles herself again after a while of screaming suggests to me that shes not in pain. However we have tried calpol and bonjella and all the usual stuff anyway and it has never made any difference. Us trying to calm her making her worse...suggests night terrors. She seems still asleep when shes screeching too, which again suggests night terrors.

Has anyone else got any experience of dealing with a child that gets these and could give any advice? It just seems cruel to let her scream and thrash about for 10 mins or so but trying to help usually makes it worse, so I dont see what else we can do :/

[Vicky.]

Oh I dont know if stuff like this is hereditary, but gav used to get them as a child too, and still does on occasion.

[Ninastar]

babies tend to have a stage where this happens... normally around this age too. its hard, but you're supposed to leave them too it for as long as you can. if they don't calm down after a while, obviously its best to go see them... but from my experience, it only lasts a few weeks...

(hope you don't mind me saying this even though i'm not a mum... lol)

[Marsh.]

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/night-t...roduction.aspx

Says here that there's not much to do about them except if they're several times a night or most nights in which case get advice from your GP, who can rule out any solvable problems for the episodes (tonsils being one ). But it's like sleep walking, you shouldn't interfere or try to wake them.

Dr Marsh.

[Ninastar]

i cant even imagine how hard that must be though... poor baby! hope she's okay soon!

[Vicky.]

Originally Posted by Ninastar

babies tend to have a stage where this happens... normally around this age too. its hard, but you're supposed to leave them too it for as long as you can. if they don't calm down after a while, obviously its best to go see them... but from my experience, it only lasts a few weeks...

(hope you don't mind me saying this even though i'm not a mum... lol)

Not at all. I added that bit in the hopes of eliminating the usual jokey comments that come tbh..because its something I'm not finding funny at all and its really quite distressing

Its a horrid high pitched scream that sounds like shes in pain too, so its really hard to ignore. I can ignore her whinging tones but this is just like nails down a chalk board to me..I even tried going downstairs and shutting the door so I couldnt hear it (just for a few mins peace) and I could hear it as if she was next to me

[Vicky.]

Originally Posted by 08marsh

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/night-t...roduction.aspx

Says here that there's not much to do about them except if they're several times a night or most nights in which case get advice from your GP, who can rule out any solvable problems for the episodes. But it's like sleep walking, you shouldn't interfere or try to wake them.

Dr Marsh.

Our doctors are absolutely useless, so this doesnt fill me with much hope at all

Might see if I can get an appointment with the pediatrician at the hospital instead

[Jessica.]

I'm not a mother but my oldest niece had night terrors at that age too, I used to babysit her a lot during that stage and it is really scary to see them so unsettled but they're really not in pain and most likely wont remember it in the morning. You can't really do anything to make it go away but if she settles herself that's a good sign. When my niece experienced it I mainly just tried to let her know I was there, I didn't pick her up or anything so she wouldn't get too confused or uncomfortable but I would hold her and and tell her I was there in a calm voice. She still has night terrors rarely, maybe twice a year, it's worse when they're older. The last time she had one she said there was too many monsters inside her, I was terrified.

[Marsh.]

What exactly are they, really vivid nightmares that cause you to literally scream out and have a physical reaction?

I get sleep paralysis a lot when I'm stressed or anxious and that's scary enough for me.

[Kizzy]

Wish I could help, poor skye my two never had them but my lad was a giddy one so had to make sure he was physically tired and his routine had to start about an hour before bed. Supper and stories, no games, cartoons or singing and sometimes I put classic FM softly on the landing so it wasn't too quiet.
rosemary in water in an oil burner is good to help you sleep, (obv not have it on while she's in there though

[Vicky.]

Ugh just had another 15 mins of it. At this rate I wont get any sleep, gav wont get any sleep (though hes watching wrestlemania at the min) and Skye wont get any sleep, and will then be twisty all day tomorrow because shes tired

Mind I think tonights a mixture of her cold and these nightmare things as this time she seemed very awake..awake enough to have some calpol at least, but still wouldnt let us cuddle her or anything

[AnnieK]

My son has these Vicky...not as often now he's 3 but they are awful. I have no miracle suggestions though. With him, I actually used to either turn the light on to try and bring him out a bit or on occasion I had to pick him up and take him to the front door and the colder air brought him out enough to stop it. He never woke up properly but enough that he went back to sleep. Is she teething? Have you tried the tethers powders, they are just herbal but really helped far more than bonjella or Calpol.

[Cherie]

Sorry Vicky I have no experience of this. I would recommend as you have suggested, that you get an appointment with a paediatrician about it though, or maybe ask at the baby clinic about dealing with it. Being tired makes everything worse as well so I sympatise.

[Kyle]

Is this the same as sleep paralysis?

[Kazanne]

Not had experience of it either Vicky,I think I would go with the paediatrician advice they might be able to put you at ease at least,it's bad enough getting no sleep through illness,teething etc,must be awful to hear her screaming,I hope you get it sorted.

[x-evenstar-x]

I had these until I was about 12 or 13, she will have no idea what's going on and will have no memory of it, it's just a bad dream I think I also think it's not good to wake the child you just have to let them go back to sleep.

I also used to sleep walk a lot so when she is old enough maybe watch out for that.

[Lee.]

It's bloody awful Vicky! My daughter was a text book baby up until she was 1 and a half; she slept all night, every night from the age of 6 weeks then all of a sudden it was pure pandemonium every night! I swear my whole street could hear her screaming.

I don't think there's any miracle cure but from what I remember, it didn't last for too long.. maybe a couple of months? I just used to pick her up and try and cuddle her in until she was calmer, put her back down then sit on her bedroom floor (shivering and yawning) until she either settled or screamed again.

Hope it passes soon for you..

Actually, I've just remembered something else. We had a night light thing that moved and projected lights and colours onto the walls and I used to put that on and after a while she used to take notice of it and settle down.

[Kazanne]

Originally Posted by x-evenstar-x

I had these until I was about 12 or 13, she will have no idea what's going on and will have no memory of it, it's just a bad dream I think I also think it's not good to wake the child you just have to let them go back to sleep.

I also used to sleep walk a lot so when she is old enough maybe watch out for that.

Hello stranger,nice to see you post,how long did you sleepwalk for?sleep walking is scarey.

[x-evenstar-x]

Originally Posted by Kazanne

Hello stranger,nice to see you post,how long did you sleepwalk for?sleep walking is scarey.

Hi

Till I was quite old 14/15 maybe it slowed down, sometimes I still do lol. My parents said I did crazy things lol I was never aloud to stay at friends houses unless it was someone my parents new really well incase I got out the house or hurt my self lol. I used to find it so funny the next day when they told me about it haha.

[Kazanne]

Originally Posted by x-evenstar-x

Hi

Till I was quite old 14/15 maybe it slowed down, sometimes I still do lol. My parents said I did crazy things lol I was never aloud to stay at friends houses unless it was someone my parents new really well incase I got out the house or hurt my self lol. I used to find it so funny the next day when they told me about it haha.

Oh,do you never get scared you'll wander outside or something

[x-evenstar-x]

Originally Posted by Kazanne

Oh,do you never get scared you'll wander outside or something

I think that's what my parents worried about, I'm not so fussed for some reason the key is always put out the way so I'm sure I wouldn't be able too. Although my grandad when he was alive climbed out his window and woke up the next day outside so it's kinda scary.

I only really do it when I'm really anxious or something stressful is going on in my life, it's extremely rare now and I don't live with my parents anymore so there's no one to notice or tell me really lol