2.5 year old wakening up every hour for the past few nights .....help!

[CRHMOM]

Hi,

My 2.5 yr old son has usually been a good 11 hour straight night sleeper. However for the past 5 or 6 days he has been battling a bad cold which is resulting in 6/7/8/9 times a night night wakenings. He just wakes up crying or sometimes doesn't cry but wonders into our room. When we ask him whats wrong, sometimes he says nothing, sometimes its because he lost his blankie, sometimes its because his nose it running etc......but it seems like we have created a pattern here in that everytime he calls for us we run to his side because he has been sick. But I have to say while he is not totally over his cold, he is ALOT better so I'm so confused why he is waking up every hour. I'm thinking he got use to all the middle of the night company and we have definitely created a pattern!!! What should I do? I don't want to ignore him because he is getting over a cold, but last night we were up with him every single hour and this is getting ridiculous and I'm really starting to lose my patience. My husband and I just keep it low key and most of the time take him by the hand and don't say anything and put him back to bed but  I'm so exhausted....I haven't gotten more than a 2 hour stretch in the last 6 nights. Please help us get back to normal..... Thank you

Trisha

[anna*]

I'd get some kind of lights on a timer, like fairy lights, and do a lot of explaining that when the lights are off that means it is time to sleep and you ahve to stay in your bed. If the lights are on then that means it is OK to get up. Rehearse/role play it a few times at bedtime too.

[CRHMOM]

Thanks Anna. We do have the goodnite light and he know he has to stay in his bed until the sun shines at 7:30 in the morning -- in the past he has been so good staying in his bed but since he has had this cold, nothing seems to be working and he is still getting out of his bed......

[anna*]

How about a stairgate up at his door then?

[CRHMOM]

So two days ago after much crying I took him to the doctor and discovered he has an ear infection so I"m thinking that is why he has been waking up so often in the night. So he has been on the medication for 2 full days but still wakes up 2-3times a night. I thought maybe the meds should kick in by now. When he wakes up he just comes into our room and doesn't say anything and we just lead him back to bed. He never tells us whats wrong. ALthough last night he refused it go back to bed when he woke up in the middle of the night and we had a heck of a time trying to put him back to sleep.

Should I just be patient with all these NW until he is all better. I have noticed in the last week he has just been very bratty behaviour -- not listening, talking back, developing an attitude which is not like him. Yesterday he even refused his afternoon nap so I put him to bed at 7pm instead of his usual 8 pm and he still woke up 3x last night. My patience is wearing thin....I"m thinking we have developed a habit more than anything. I don't think a gate will help because he is very strong and last time we ever used it he just pushed it over. I'm not sure if I should tell him were going to take away his soother but then I don't want to be mean (he still has his soother for night time but planning on getting rid of it when he turns 3).

Should I just wait all this out -- I think being sick, he is just chronically OT......

Trisha

[*Becky*]

I think give him a couple more days and see. My friends DD had an ear infection recently. She is a real textbook/angel girl but it totally threw her off with sleep and behaviour, a lot like you describe.
Keep us posted x

[anna*]

I agree, if he's poorly then best to just ride it out. Why are you getting rid of his soother now?

[CRHMOM]

Thanks everyone but things have gotten really bad. Last night was horrendous and I clearly have an OT child. He went to bed at 8 last night and then woke up crying at 2:am. It took us till about 4:30 to settle him as he completely refused to go back to sleep (kicking and screaming everytime we put him back to his bed). Everytime we left his room he would cry and run out of his room again -- we must of put him back to bed over 100 times and he kept coming back to our room. We repeatedly asked him whats wrong and he just says I don't want to sleep in my bed. I'm scared to create bad habits but finally my husband lied down with him at 4:30 after two hours of trying to settle him and then he woke up at 6:15 and we tried till about 8 to put him back to sleep and he won't sleep. So he had almost 8 hour of night sleep! I'm sick sick sick to my stomach over this. Up until a week and a half ago he use to be such a good sleeper and I don't understand why he is being so defiant and kicking and screaming. I ask him if something hurts and he says no. A few days ago he mentioned to me his mouth hurt so then I thought maybe his molars are coming in so I gave him some Tylenol and it didn't make a difference in his willingness to go back to sleep. Please help! Is this night terrors??? Sometimes when he wakes up he is not crying just walks into our room and we take him back and he is fine but last night he went absolutely bizark!!! Please please help....

[anna*]

I really think the gate up at the door is the way to go. How early can you realistically do bedtime?

[babybarr]

I think you should take him back to the dr and just get his ears double checked.  Frequent waking is often pain related.