Restless Sleeper

My son was doing that and I found out he needed tubes in his ears. I found out becuase my Pediatrician referred us to an ENT Ear Nose and Throat doctor and the ENT told us that my 1 year old at the time, had mucus and fluids built up in his ear and it particulary hurt when he was laying down. The binky does give him some temporary relief, however, it is short term. Right after the procedure, he has slept soundly through the night every since. The ENT told me to look for signs that the tubes have fallen off, such as banging fist or head against pillow or crib. But, so far,so good!

Take him to the ped he could have a sinus infection. my daughter had her first at 6 months old.

S.,

This sounds rather serious if he is in obvious distress and is banging his head! I would stop with the motrin; it is very dangerous. Have you considered seeing a naturopath or a chiropractor to help with this? I would stop worrying about getting him sleep through the night and try to get to the root of this problem b/c he is obviously in pain; the poor little guy. Please email me personally so that I can make some suggestions for you.

Love,
C.
____@____.com

Hi S.,
I went throught the exact same thing with my going on 3yr. old son. My son did not sleep through the night until he was over 2yrs old waking up every 2-3 hours. I was like a zombie! The problem with mine was his tonsils and adnoids. This may or may not be the case with your son but it's worth looking into. We saw a few specialists and they all informed us that he would need them removed and that there was little chance that it would improve on its own. My husband and I are not into medicine or surgery unless it is the ONLY option. It was amazing. My son slept better the day after the operation than he ever had in his life. Even with the swelling in his throat following the surgery he was able to breath easier. If this happens to be what is going on with your child I suggest that you get it taken care of as soon as possible. My son had stunted growth, was constantly congested, and started behaving like a monster all because of the sleep deprivation. Of course all of these symtoms weren't there from the get go. It just progressively got worse over time. So don't rule out the possibility until you have seen a doctor. Also, keep in mind that for my son, it took until he was 16mo. old before they figured out what the problem was. I hope this helps and if this is not your sons problem I hope you can fix it soon...for his sleep and your SANITY. lol Take care and good luck!

HI S.,

I would take Laura up on her suggestion. However, there are also some other things that you might want to think about. It sounds like there is something that is agitating him. The closed fist and trying to get comfortable is odd for someone so little. My youngest twitched and tapped her feet in her sleep and got up numerous times during the night until I realized that she was terribly sensitive to the synthetic chemicals I had in the house.

Cleaning supplies and some toiletries outgas. If you use a detergent like Tide, Gain, All or even Dreft you could be aggravating the issue with his clothes and the sheets on the bed... And if you use chlorine bleach, it's even worse. Chlorine Bleach was invented by our military as a neuro-toxin. We dilute it and use it in our homes thinking it helps. Greenpeace has been actively trying to phase out Chlorine Bleach from the store shelves. The American Public Health Association and the Michigan State Medical society have also called for phase out.

I speak to groups on environmental toxins, child behavioral issues, cancer prevention, and prevention of immune disorders like Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia. They're all connected. If you would like additional information, either email me back or feel free to call me on my cell at ###-###-#### (verizon). I would love to help!

Regards,

M.

P.S. This could also be causing his congestion too.

Hi S.
I am a nurse and infant care consultant. I specialize in helping parents getting their babies to sleep through the night within three days. Check out www.momsoncall.com. There is also a book you can order. I use the popular "Moms on Call" Methods in my infant care consultations. I used the proven methods on my daughter ( who is 6 months now), and she has been sleeping 10-12 hours a night, in her crib since she was 3 months old. Email me @ ____@____.com if you have any questions or want more info! Good luck!!

I agree, something might be bugging his skin. Does his PJs have a tag at the back of the neck or are they taggless? My son has hated his tags on shirts for several months now. He will walk around with his arm all contourted holding it till I cut it off!! Also, have you talked to his daycare teacher about his routine when he is thier or how he is for them especially his nap time. What are they feeding him and all that other good stuff too. If you can't peg somthing to be the cause of his unhappiness, then take him to the DR and see if there is something medicaly going on.

Good luck and I hope you find out what it is soon!!
S.