How can I tell If DS has nightmares?

karukaru · May 2010

Logan has been sleeping pretty bad for almost two weeks (He did sleep through the night like 2 days ago). He wakes us several times during the night screaming bloody murder. He wants to get out of his crib or wants us to stay with him (he asks for water, for us to change his diaper, etc). DH decided yesterday he couldn't take it anymore so he went to DS's room (DS was all worked up, sweating from all the crying) and did not say a word to him. He just simply sat on the recliner we have in his room. Well, just like that, Logan put his head down (he was standing on the crib) and went to sleep right away. DH stayed the whole night.

Logan hasn't been napping well either. Today, I put him to sleep and he was crying and crying. I went in a couple of times and DS did not want water, his diaper was not dirty etc. After a while, I decided to go into his room (withouth saying anything to him) and just sat on the recliner. He immediately went to sleep. I walked out of the room as soon as he fell asleep and he woke up screaming again after just 1 hour (he normally naps for at least 2 hours). What do you think is going on?

MrsTweetybride · May 2010

This has happened with L a few times (at different periods). Most of the time, there was some change going on (either he was getting sick, or he was going through separation anxiety, or he was going through a developmental period, or he was teething). There are times, more recently though, where he's gone through both night terrors and nightmares. With nightmares, he'll talk about whatever it is that scared him and we try to soothe those fears. Another thing we've had to do recently is have him go to sleep with the light on outside his room. Once he's asleep, if he wakes in the night, he doesn't mind the darkness and goes back to sleep, but to fall asleep, the little night light in his room isn't enough. So yes, it could be nightmares. I guess I would rule out any physical cause for the sleep disruption.

Good luck! Bad nights suck for child and parents alike!

karukaru · May 2010

Thanks! Maybe I should try to leave his bathroom door open with the light on because we cannot leave his bedroom door open because the bedrooms are in the 2nd floor of the house. He does have a night light. Maybe that is not enough.

taxbride · May 2010

Oh gosh, poor kid! And poor you guys, not getting any sleep either.

Since he went back to sleep with each of you there, it sounds like pure separation anxiety. If it were teething, he wouldn't likely settle down again just by your presence, I imagine. Same for nightmares. I think that nightmares would take longer for him to settle down from. I wish I had good advice. I would probably go one of two routes. Either CIO or co-sleeping. I don't think it's helpful, but there it is. Whatever works to get all of you sleeping at night!

Tania

karenlisa714 · May 2010

This has happened with Zachary before and it's just taken longer for him to get settled. We've had to sit in his room before and calm him down or let him have some milk in the crib to go to bed (not something I like doing, but I will do it once in a while). he goes through periods of it sometimes and while it's very annoying I'd say he gets over it in about 2 weeks or so. He went through a period like this a couple of weeks ago... hoping it doesn't come around again because he's been sleeping very well lately!

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