Sick 3 YO Not Enough Sleep

[FrankiesMom12]

Hi Ladies - so, my 3-year-old son has been sick for about a month and a half.  First, it was an illness that caused him to develop pneumonia, then an illness that caused him to develop croup, and this past week and a half something that turned into pretty terrible ear infections.  Anyway, he's ended up not sleeping well for this period of time as well.  He's completely stopped napping (this happened overnight...one day he was taking a 2 hour nap and the next day nothing).

I've more or less let go of/given up on the nap, although I put him down for quiet time everyday for about an hour or so.  The problem is, his night sleep is also pretty horrible.  He's had this cough for the duration of his illness that is horrible, and it wakes him up.  His normal bedtime is 7:30 and he would sleep until 6:30/7:00, but always stay in his bed until 7:15 when his light on his clock turns green.

For at least 3 - 4 weeks; however, he's been waking up very early and screaming until I come into his room.  Sometimes it's because he has to go to the bathroom (even though he wears a diaper at night, he wont pee/poop in it if he's awake...I am actually ok with this).  Sometimes it's because of his cough.  The problem is his wakeup time is getting progressively earlier every day, and he's so sick he desperately needs the sleep.  Most days he's awake by 5:45.  Today it was 5.  I'm putting him down for bed earlier and earlier (last night was 6:30, and that might have even been too late as he was completely out of it).

I guess my question is, do I just suck it up until he's better, is there nothing I can do until then?  I also have a 2.5 month old, and frankly I'm at my wit's end.

[creations]

I don't know that I have all the solutions for you but I couldn't read and then not pass on some hugs. What a difficult time you've all had - still having!!

this happened overnight...one day he was taking a 2 hour nap and the next day nothing

Mine did the same 2 hr nap to zero at 2.5yo.  He had hand foot and mouth so over slept his nap one day (2.5hr) and then no more naps, just like that.  It's quite an adjustment to cater to over night isn't it.

Sometimes it's because he has to go to the bathroom (even though he wears a diaper at night, he wont pee/poop in it if he's awake...I am actually ok with this

Any chance you can just put a potty in his room and give him a pull up that he can pull down himself?  I had mine in cloth nappies and didn't get pull ups but I showed him how to pull his nappy down so he could get on the potty.  I still had to get up for a while because once down he couldn't get the thing back up or off but I felt it was worth it.  Mine had his potty in his bedroom until he turned 5yo, it was better than him struggling to get to the bathroom on his own or waking me.

Sometimes it's because of his cough.

Have you spoken to the doc about this? I wonder if it's something an inhaler could help?  I know it's not nice to have more meds but it might be worth a think?

I'm not sure there is anything else you can do. I hope some others have some ideas for you. x

[sunflower321]

When my dd dropped her nap 6.30 had to be her normal bedtime and she wasn't sick. So I'd say 6.30 bt at the latest for him even if he doesn't seem that tired. I think a 7.30bt after recently dropping the nap could be causing ot ew.

[FrankiesMom12]

Hi Ladies - I wanted to thank you so much for your responses.  I think sometimes just having people listen/commiserate helps enough that you can get through a few more days!!!

Sunflower321 - This is a really good point.  I will definitely try to do this, it's just hard with the 2.5 month-year-old and a dad who doesn't get home from work until 5:30ish.  I think at least for the duration of this illness; however, we need to get him to bed earlier.  Since we're stuck at home all day, I can at least do bath during the day and help bedtime put down go more quickly.  I definitely agree that he's OT.

Creations - Thanks for your note as well!  I ended up bringing him to an urgent care clinic last night because the cough was so awful he was having a hard time catching a breath.  They think he's developing croup again, and they gave him an oral steroid.  The great thing is he slept SO much better last night, and slept until 6 am.  Of course, he didn't get to bed until 8:45 because it took that long to get him home and get his prescription, etc.  But, I think the sleep he got was of much higher quality.  He actually does have an inhaler, he got that when he had bronchitis in the autumn.  I've scheduled an appointment with an asthma/allergy specialist to have them see if he actually has asthma, and that isn't the cause of some of this stuff.  We're in Connecticut in the US, and our pediatrician said this year has been awful for respiratory illnesses.  She indicated that older kids who've never had respiratory issues are struggling this year.  Couple that with this is his first year in preschool, and I'm REALLY hoping that it's just a season in our lives we need to get through, and not a more systemic issue like chronic asthma.

That isn't a bad idea about the potty, our biggest "issue" is we've trained him to not get out of bed unless he calls for one of us to get him.  So, I think it would take awhile until he was we un-trained him.

Honestly, just getting your notes has helped so much!  Part of the problem is my 2-month-old still wants to be held ALL DAY and by that I mean held while I walk around with her ALL DAY.  (I actually did a separate more desperate post in the EASY forum regarding her...lol.)  So, I'm just exhausted and ready for us to get into a more "normal" routine.

[creations]

Things may be different where you are but here they don't 'diagnose' as asthma until they are much older anyway.  some docs here will call it 'childhood asthma' instead (whilst others just say 'it isn't asthma' - but it's something even if they won't name it) and usually they move them on to the steroid inhaler for daily use if they've had several courses of oral steroid already.  It does feel a bit scary and daunting, well I felt scared and daunted when DS had to have daily steroid inhaler, but it really doesn't mean it's going to be for ever.  DS probably had his for about 18 months or so (morning and night) but then he was fine when we stopped at about 2.5yo, he now has it for about a week once or twice each winter when he gets a cold he struggles with where as before he couldn't handle any cold on his own but now he gets through most of them without any assistance.  Don't know if you already know but the inhaler steroid is a much lower dose than the oral meds so overall they get less steroid but it helps them daily not get to the point of really struggling.

That isn't a bad idea about the potty, our biggest "issue" is we've trained him to not get out of bed unless he calls for one of us to get him.  So, I think it would take awhile until he was we un-trained him.

You might be surprised. Mine also never got out of bed without calling me but I did a demo/role play with him to act out what would happen when he woke in the morning, use the potty, get back in bed, if it's dark go back to sleep, if lights are on get your book and read. He just did it.

2 months old - phew hard work, sling and if you don't have one order one for immediate delivery!!

You'll get through it, you will, keep going xxx

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

 Totally agree with getting a sling or wrap for the baby! Here some dr's will diagnose asthma in kids - our Ped. Respirologist for DD2 diagnosed it based on her medical history and family history combined with the fact that the steroid inhaler was helping her. In her case forest fire smoke set it off in the summer - she has cough variant asthma so doesn't get wheezy just hacks away. I hope early bedtimes do the trick for now until he is feeling better xx