Almost 3, done teething, but no sleep for a month! We're zombies!

[Amandala]

Hi all,

I have not posted here in a long, long time.  It has been pretty smooth sailing since my son was about 15 months old and started sleeping through the night almost all the time.

Now, he will be 3 years old in one month, and we have had NO.  Sleep.  In our house.  For a month.

And we are at a total loss as to why!

His second molars are all in.  It's not too cold in his room (it was - we fixed it).  I can't think what else.  I can't think much at all lately.

He wakes up so many times a night, sometimes staying up for hours.  Whining, crying, demanding things.  Demanding to sleep in mama and daddy's bed.  Demanding us come sleep with him.  (he's just on the other side of a wall from our bed.  The door is open.  He knows he's not alone).  Sometimes just incoherently crying.  We've tried EVERYTHING.  Stopped ourselves and tried a new approach a few times.  Tried one of us staying with him until he falls asleep.  Tried no talking.  Tried threatening punishments like taking away toys or cartoons or closing the door.  Tried promising rewards if he stays in bed. Tried tylenol before bed thinking it was teething, but no - those teeth are in.  Nothing we try to do will stop him from waking up, making noise, getting out of bed, talking and talking, demanding things, refusing to stay in bed, crying hysterically, etc.

He says his stomach hurts and he doesn't feel good.  However, he has been saying that nonstop for the last few months, ever since he had a stomach bug and everyone was very kind to him and pampered him.  Now he says "My stomach hurts!" and/or "I don't feel good!" several times a day, almost exclusively when someone tells him to do something he doesn't want to do (or to stop doing something he DOES want to do).

Any advice?

[MrsBone]

My son has just begun Waking alot at night and I've finally realized he's having leg cramps or growing pains. I started giving him a mineral supplement and it helps him sleep. I think he must be deficient in some mineral. If he forgets to take it or whatever, he wakes up and is a spazzing in the middle of the night!! Crying, saying he's hungry, thirsty and occasionally he'll actually tell me his legs hurt. he's also three andthis is a fairly recent occurance. Ask him if he has any leg pain.

[Amandala]

Hey, thanks!  I will!  Can you recommend a particular supplement?

[MrsBone]

I bought a couple different ones. Ones is from the makers of Emergen-c..it's lemon lime mineral powder. Electromix and I got drops for myself and have tried to give them to my son too but they taste bad. I think they make a flavored one though.  ConcenTrace trace minerals. You can probably get both supplements at Amazon or Vitamin Shoppe.

[Blessed_Mom]

Please don't hate me but can you have him co-sleep with you for a few months? If he sleeps well then atleast all of you can have some months of good sleep and try making him sleep in another bed another time?

[lifeguard]

We just went through a similar period with our 3 year old - although it doesn't sound like quite as much as your ds. It was very frustrating but I could tell he sincerely was not able to sleep. Dh & I disagreed greatly on how to deal with it but the thing that seemed to get us the most sleep was for one of us to sleep with him or for him to come to our bed. We would do our regular bedtime routine & he would sleep. When he woke we would try to go in & comfort him & resettle him but if it wasn't happening fairly quickly (we didn't want to risk him waking too fully) we gave him the option of his bed or ours.

He now seems to be out of it & sleeping through the night again.

[anjsmama]

Ditto on the leg pain. My 3 yo DS tells me all the time his legs hurt and often will ask me to rub them (which is basically me squeezing his knees) when he wakes at night. Read the tip upthread about mineral supplement.. will have to try that...