Sleep issues with 4 years old

[OmarsMum]

Omar doesn't sleep through, he wakes up several times at night, his sleep is restless, he suffers from night terrors from time to time. He sleep talks, when he wakes up at night he talks nonsense like wanting his mum, wanting to go back home, etc many times if I can't figure out what he wants he ends up crying nonstop. He also whines while sleeping

I want to see someone but I have no clue where to go, paed are useless here.

We have a routine, I don't have issues in putting him in bed to sleep, most of the time he falls asleep immediately, we have bad nights if h takes a nap at odd hours or after an exciting day but it's not big issue.

I am tired, I'm studying & I prefer to study at night, but I me up going back & forth to bedroom to resettle him back to sleep, then I get exhausting & to bed

I still co-sleep, he doesn't seem scared when he wakes up, he keeps saying I want to sleep, I want to sleep while sitting up & then throwing himself around the bed, I wouldn't dream of putting him in a bed on his own, I know he will end up hurting himself, our bed is covered with pillows as I'm too scared he might hurt himself while moving around while sleeping.

He prefers to sleep across the bed to touch me with his feet, he moves his feet a lot while sleeping (could it b restless foot syndrome? Or is he too young for it?)

He doesn't have breathing issues but he suffers from nose allergy, he can't breath from his mouth as he doesn't sleep at all if his nose is blocked.

I need any advise on what I should do, I feel clueless & exhausted, since having his I started to suffer from insomnia (I've never been a great sleeper but I used to get 5-6 hrs stretch)

 

[DaisyBee]

I honestly think it is mostly his temperament. Megan is such a different sleeper than Jordan is and it has nothing to do with anything except them. Megan gets overtired easily which doesn't even really show up except night issues. It's also when she is all over the bed.

We don't cosleep as she is too distracted to sleep with us. She still has white noise to block out noise in the house. If she is too hungry she wakes, if she is hot or cold she wakes, if she had a fun day she wakes and then starts thinking about it and then tosses nd turns. Megan has her own full size bed... We decided she needed the room vs a twin bed so she could have room to move around. It pushed against the wall and the other side has a bedrail.

I don't always go into her in the night, I have a video monitor on her still and I watch her from that to decide if its better that I just leave her alone or if she needs me.

I was told by another mom who works in the field that they have sleep clinic type things but it's hard because you have to have your child hooked up to things and sleep at the hospitL and wht child is going to sleep well or show the similar behaviors to home in that situation?
She mentioned massage, lavander, soothing music, visualization, and mediation.

 

[Tilliepink]

Have you tried not co sleeping? I know my kids sleep so much better alone. Is the house too warm maybe?

 

[OmarsMum]

Have you tried not co sleeping? I know my kids sleep so much better alone. Is the house too warm maybe?

He wakes up when I'm still awake & outside the room, so I dont think it's co-sleeping, he sleeps better when I'm in bed (hubby uses the spare room). We have central ACs & the room's temp is 21 most of the time

 

[Tilliepink]

My son used to cry out in his sleep a lot like 15 times a night. And then it just stopped when he turned 6. Didn't really do anything different with him. I would see a dr, maybe they can refer you to a sleep clinic to do a sleep study.

 

[OmarsMum]

My son used to cry out in his sleep a lot like 15 times a night. And then it just stopped when he turned 6. Didn't really do anything different with him. I would see a dr, maybe they can refer you to a sleep clinic to do a sleep study.

Thanks hun, I really hope he grows out of it when he's older, last night he woke up & was whiney as he wasnt able to go back to sleep, we cuddled & talked until he was able to fall back to sleep

 

[mummy2o]

If it is night terrors most kids grow out of them. I know DS has. He was screaming the place down, fighting with himself and whatever I did I couldn't settle him, which included putting on his favourite dvd which worked in the day. It got so bad that he use to be sick in his bed, so once he was finished I'd then have to wake him up, bad idea to wake from a night terror, then shower him, new pj's and bedding before going back to bed. It was long nights at time so I honestly understand your frustration. He stopped around the age of 5. His paediatrician basically said just stay with him until he stops and move anything away which might harm him. Also things you might want to try is not allowing him to get over tired as that is more likely to cause one, so if he doesn't have a nap move bedtime forward half an hour to an hour, or if you know he'll be home late make sure he gets a nap. If it is the same time each night when you can try waking him before the episode, but if its at random times its best not to do so. DS's was random so we had to leave it and also not the regular. About a couple of times a month.

 

[aliss]

I'm sorry hun. We are the same

 

[OmarsMum]

I tried lavender essential oil tonight, it seems that it's working, still too early to tell, but he's been sleeping for 3 hrs without a peep.

I went to the pharmacist today to ask for advise, the guy told me to offer him cuddles, & he went on & on talking about the benefits of co-sleeping , it wasnt helpful, I told him that he's 4 yrs but he's still in my bed! He also requested me to avoid antihistamines to drug him to sleep! I told him clearly that I give him none sedative antihistamine when I have to for his nose allergy as he reacts badly to the sedative one, & I wouldn't even think about drugging my kid to sleep!

Then I went to a health store, the girl there asked me to check if it's ADD or ADHD, again he doesnt fall into the criteria, he's always had a very good attention span & he doesn't move a lot. He spends almost all day doing arts works! Anyway I bought lavender (thanks daisybee for the suggestion) They had herbal drops (valerian roots) for kids & babies to help them relax & it promotes better sleep but it was out of stock.

Paediatricians are useless here, his paed suggested antihistamines 2 yrs back to drug him to sleep, another one laughed at me & said the kid is spoilt & I have to leave him to cry when he wakes up!