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  1. #1
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    Default Any pointers on possible separation anxiety/night terrors?

    At least that is what I *think* is going on with Sophie.

    The past three or four nights, she has gotten downright hysterical, trying to climb out of her crib when we put her to bed. We have a regular routine, and as soon as she hears her "song", she flips out.

    Not basic whining, hysterical shrieking.

    We give her 10 minutes, go back up, try and calm her down and then it starts all over again. The first couple of nights, I was just too tired and nauseous to deal, so I actually put the laptop up there for her to watch her Baby Neptune. I know, Bad Mommy. I just had had enough.

    We thought we figured out that she was afraid of the little fan we had up there, because when Jonathan turned it on, she started screaming, sobbing and pointing at it. We took it out of her room, but it still was a good hour to get her calm enough to go to sleep. This is coming from a child that normally is out cold in less than five minutes.

    I'm thinking that I might even call the Ped tomorrow and see what he has to offer.

    Help!

    -m

    UPDATE - Spoke with Ped - scroll down...
    Wife to Jonathan
    Mom to Sophia 12/02 and Amelia 12/04

  2. #2
    Momof3Labs is offline Pink Diamond level (15,000+ posts)
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    Default RE: Any pointers on possible separation anxiety?

    It doesn't quite sound like separation anxiety to me. Could be teething - when Colin's sleep/bedtime is interrupted like this, that's usually the culprit. The eye teeth and molars can be wicked, and she is about the right age for either or all of those. Have you tried loading her up on Motrin about 20 minutes before bedtime?
    Single mom to

    DS ("twice exceptional") - September 2002
    DS - February 2006
    DD - July 2009
    DD - July 2009

  3. #3
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    Default RE: Any pointers on possible separation anxiety?

    Lori-

    She's been getting Motrin daily at bedtime for weeks now, courtesy of those damn eye teeth (top AND bottom ones). They're almost through. The Ped said on Friday that it's too early for her second year molars (he couldn't feel anything either).

    She slammed her fingers TWICE in a drawer at a friend's house today, and then when we had her wandering around in her room, she slammed the same hand in the door (she was pushing it shut and her hand was stuck in the way - no doorknob at the moment). Each time, I ran her little fingers under cold water to take the sting away.

    She had Motrin around 4pm, and I gave her Hyland's teething tablets (3 of them) at 9:30, along with Tylenol. You'd think she'd be out cold with all that stuff...

    She's finally asleep at this point, Thank God!!

    -m
    Wife to Jonathan
    Mom to Sophia 12/02 and Amelia 12/04

  4. #4
    Momof3Labs is offline Pink Diamond level (15,000+ posts)
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    Default RE: Any pointers on possible separation anxiety?

    Ah - that's been the worst time for us, right before the eye teeth break through. Motrin doesn't seem to do the trick at that point. So I still go with teething pain as my answer - which doesn't help you right now, but means that it should pass!!
    Single mom to

    DS ("twice exceptional") - September 2002
    DS - February 2006
    DD - July 2009
    DD - July 2009

  5. #5
    JLiebCamm Guest

    Default RE: Any pointers on possible separation anxiety?

    Funny you should post this. For the past 5 nights, Nathan has cried and cried at bedtime if we try to leave the room. He's content to be held, rocked, or even to have us stand over him in his crib. But try to leave the room and he flips! For the past 5 months he has been terrific at bedtime-just lay him down, give him a kiss, and leave. I don't know what is up! His eye teeth are already through. It's very frustrating. Last night we just let him cry it out and it went on for an hour! I was miserable and guilty. I hope this new phase is short lived.

  6. #6
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    Default RE: Any pointers on possible separation anxiety?

    Jessica-

    Jonathan thinks that when we let her CIO for about 45 min the first night, we kind of freaked her out and now that's what she remembers when we put her to bed.

    I'm not so sure that I buy that theory, but for now, we have nothing else. I think that her teeth might be contributing to the overall crankiness, but her cries are much more of fear than of pain.

    During the day, she's just fine. I really don't know what to do...

    -m

    ETA - I called the Ped, spoke to a nurse. She said that it sounds like night terrors, which Sophie has had before - only she wakes up with them, and doesn't have a problem getting to sleep. The Ped is supposed to call me back, so hopefully he has some answers.
    Wife to Jonathan
    Mom to Sophia 12/02 and Amelia 12/04

  7. #7
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    Default RE: Any pointers on possible separation anxiety?

    The nurse called back after speaking to the Ped. They said that it's a total toddler phase (the nurse said her own kids did it), and that we need to try and keep her in a routine as much as possible. The Ped wants me to try giving her Benadryl the next couple of nights to help encourage her to sleep. I told the nurse that I felt that it would only be masking the problem, not curing it. She agreed, but she said that it would help lessen Sophie's fighing sleep.

    They also want to see her on Thursday to rule out any ear problems.

    Poor Sophie Soph. All day, she just lay on the floor with her bunny. I tried putting her down for a nap early afternoon and she refused. After lunch, I caught her dozing while leaning back on a chair. That time, I was able to get her down in her crib. She didn't even whimper an argument.

    I think this is going to be a loooong night.

    -m
    Wife to Jonathan
    Mom to Sophia 12/02 and Amelia 12/04

  8. #8
    JLiebCamm Guest

    Default RE: Any pointers on possible separation anxiety?

    Bedtime tonight was the best that it has been in a week. I stayed beside the crib for about 5 minutes, then slowly left the room. He didn't cry at all. Hopefully this was a short lived phase.

  9. #9
    christic Guest

    Default RE: Any pointers on possible separation anxiety?

    >She's been getting Motrin daily at bedtime for weeks now,
    >courtesy of those damn eye teeth (top AND bottom ones).

    Wondering if it could be the Motrin? There was an article in our paper this week about a study at a hospital in Cleveland that found that children who were regularly taking Motrin or Tylenol (more than 2 doses a week) for headaches actually started to have "rebound headaches" that they decided were caused by the pain reliever. We're talking about older kids, 6 into their teens I think, and headaches rather than teething pain, but it got me thinking about the steady doses of pain reliever many toddlers end up taking at teething time.

    Kind of longshot and you've got a lot of other things to try but wanted to throw out one more idea.

    Good sleep to both of you!



  10. #10
    Join Date
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    Default RE: Any pointers on possible separation anxiety?

    Jess-

    Sophie went right out last night too. I cancelled the doc's appointment this morning.

    Hopefully it won't jinx me tonight!!!

    -m
    Wife to Jonathan
    Mom to Sophia 12/02 and Amelia 12/04

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