11 1/2 Month Old, Waking up Screaming!

I know I'm responding to this late and you've already reached sleep success, but I wanted to give you some more info on the night terrors as well just in case. They can start before 18 months, we have a 17-month-old and his started around 11 months old. He's only had them maybe 10 times ever, but there was a period he was getting them every other night for a week (very scary if you haven't experienced it). The one thing that worked for us (which another parent suggested on one of the websites I was researching on) was running his feet under cold water; this helps to truly awaken them so they're no longer stuck between awake and asleep. Hope that helps.

It sounds like "night terrors."
Its purely developmental based and crops up from about this age.
BOTH my kids had that, when they were about that age.

Research it online... you will learn much about it and what to do when it happens.
Night terrors are different from "night mares."

But, if she is just waking due to night terrors and then she is not going back to sleep... then she is REALLY already woken up, fully. The thing with night terrors is, you don't want to 'wake' the child up... but let it process on it's own, and they usually fall back asleep. Otherwise, the child will indeed fully wake and think it's time to come out of the crib and 'play.'

So you have to gauge her.

BUT also at this age, they are changing a great deal, and they do wake more at all hours, to 'play.' It's a child's form of insomnia/sleep difficulty. Their motor skills and sense of 'awareness' is changing too. BOTH my kids went through that too, at that age. So, what I did is... IF this is the case, I just pretended to 'sleep' and gauged them. If they could just entertain themselves fine in the crib or next to me... then I just let them. I did NOT engage or interact with them... and just kept saying 'sleep, shhhh..." and that's all. I stayed lying down, did not get up, did not turn on any lights... KEEP everything quiet and dark. Make things BORING. Then, my kids would go back to sleep. On their own.
This is a phase and it will pass before you know it. She's young and they do this about this age. My Pediatrician said they also have some separation anxiety at this age too. So it may play into it.

I did not punish or scold for it. It's a developmental thing. Now if your child is perhaps hungry, you can feed her. About 12 months old, they have a big growth spurt as well.

The thing is, it sounds like night terrors to me, because of the way she is waking up screaming/crying/hard to calm down. But that does not mean you have to "wake" her up at this point. When having night terrors, the child is not really 'aware' or 'awake' and knowing what they are doing. So keep everything dark and try not to speak or get her aroused to the point of "waking." Just comfort. Silently.

But read about it online and it will tell you what to do.

All the best,
Susan

Hi K., I'm sure you will get a lot of advice on this subject, my understanding is with night terrors, they don't actually wake up, it's not like a bad dream and you wake up scared, children sleep through them, wake up in the morning well rested and don't remember them, now I could be wrong but this is what i have heard from a few moms who's children were experiencing night terrors. If they are not night terrors, and you and your husband are getting up and allowing her play for 2 hours, you may be creating a habit that will be very hard to break, if she knows alls she has to do is wake up a sream and cry to get mom and or dad to come in she will continue to do so. I would talke to her pediatrician, and see what he/she tells you, but I have had a least 3 moms that I personally have known that have told me the kids slep through the night terrors, and woke up refreshed as normal and had no memorie of th terrors. J. L.

It sounds like teething and I'm glad to read she's sleeping better. :)

My 13 month old son has been doing the same thing... The first time I was worried it was night terrors as well, but he started doing it during the day too. He'd be playing fine or even nursing and all of a sudden cry such a sad "owie" cry - like someone pinched him. It is so sad!

He is cutting #9 as well; I've heard these ones are pretty painful. A little something I heard...take it or leave it... Our doctor explained to me that the swelling in the gums actually helps the tooth to push through. Medication can reduce the swelling and make it harder for the tooth to get through the gums. It made sense to me, but I know sometimes their pain is too much for us to bear. Especially at night.

I've been freezing fruit (he loves grapes), washcloths and those squeezable yogurts. They seem to provide relief.

Anyway, for what it's worth - I feel your pain. Good luck! :)

I have a 20-month old and when he would wake up within a few hours of going to bed, that signaled an ear infection for us. Kids are all different, but thought I would throw that into the mix:) Good luck!

hi K.,

At her age, it could be either teething issues or an ear infection. Take her in and have her checked.

Linda

Night terrors begin at 18 months old, so I don't think this could be night terrors. Sometimes one (baby/child/adult) just wakes up in their sleep and then we just put ourselves back to sleep- talking, crying, etc. are more likely to occur in babies... than in adults so sometimes that is what you may hear. I would suggest that you just leave her so that she can learn to put herself back to sleep when she wakes up at night(this is a very important life skill). Otherwise, you quickly train her to need you to go back to sleep (they can also easily be distracted or confused- and get up and play or whatever). Avoid this!!! You don't want this to become a habit- sleep habits form SO quickly... may explain why it has continued to happen and more frequently.

Teething may be another explanation for randomly waking up upset. Look for other teething signs during the day, and if she seems in pain give her the appropriate medicine (check with your doctor) and then put her straight back to sleep.

C.: sleep consultant, sleep blog writer www.lullabyluna.com

Oh what a fun age! My daughter started doing this at 10 months. We thought all the same things. After several trips to the pediatrician to rule out ear infections, he suggested this was due to teething. Also, I think sleep disruption at the age is fairly common due to all the learning milestones. You could try giving Motrin to ease any pain and add in teething tablets (Hylands or Hawthornes #3). Once you check with your pediatrician to rule out illness, there are really just two options left. Let her cry it out if you are OK with that or hold her and help her get back to sleep. I chose the latter and that was mainly so that I could sleep. We have had a few solid 12 hour nights since this started but most nights for the sake of sleep she has been coming to our bed at 2 am. BTW her twin sister is not having the same issue and does not wake due to her crying- 'thank my lucky stars'.
Good luck. An hopefully you can find some consolation in the fact that you are not alone!