Unusual Night Behavior

My son had the same problem with his tonsils. We had to prop him up on a pillow. We also found out he is clostrophobic. We put him in a twin bed and put up one of the side rails you can get for beds and it worked like a charm. My son was 8 months old when we had to do this.

There is a doctor named J. Buckley in Cumming, Ga (based out of Jacksonville, FLA). that would come highly recommended for the complexity of what you are dealing with. She is a specialist and a pediatrician. Perhaps she would be someone that could help you work through this. She is awesome at listening to moms and knowing how to help.
I pray strength for you to be the awesome mom you are. J

S.,

My heart goes out to you. I wake up sometimes twice a night with my two children and I am tired in the morning so I cannot imagine what this is like for you.
Can you afford to hire a night nurse, perhaps even for a night or two just to get some kind of rest? I know someone who does this if you need a name. She is with Blessed Little Angels; they have an ad on this message board.

I don't have much in the way of suggestions or advice but I do offer you support. I know how hard lack of sleep is on a parent.

Hi S.,

The tonsils are a necessary part of the body. They absorb the toxins that would normally get into your little one's system so they are a "guard-shack" to protect him. Please don't remove them. His immune system is low so he is having reactions and they are showing up in the tonsil area. The anesthesia he had to remove his adenoids and the foreign objects in his ears will weaken the immune system. The steroids he has had also weaken his immune system. (I was on steroids as a child) All that's done so now you have to work on making him stronger.

First of all, he needs to see a upper cervical chiropractor. Drs Amanda and Jeremy Hess live in Jonesboro and have an office in front of Wal-Mart in Stockbridge. They will give you your first visit free if you tell them I sent you. They will work something out that fits in your budget. They have done wonders with ear infections and preventing unnecessary surgeries. I trust them with my life and the lives of my children. They also understand nutrition and detoxing the home. (My first daughter made her first visit to the chiropractor at 14 months when she began having seizures, my second child and I went directly to the chiropractor on her way home from the hospital.)

Detoxing your home and getting the synthetic chemicals out is necessary to give him some relief so his immune system can build. Especially his laundry detergent! That could be another irritant to keeping him awake. It is not an expensive process at all. I can help you with that if you are interested. I have just moved to Jonesboro and we can even sit down and talk if you like.

I dodged tubes with my oldest daughter and my Mom and I have kept my diabetic Dad off insulin for 40 years. Nutrition and the immune system play a very important key in all this. There is so much I want to tell you and I will freely, if you won't make me type it all! Email me and I'll send you my number!

God bless!

M.
www.squidoo.com/ifyourbabycouldtalk

Please ignore Mimi's comments and make sure you are seeing an appropriate doctor for your child to rule out any medical reasons. He has been through a lot, but doesn't your child deserve the correct diagnosis. It may just be a thirsty kid, but combined with his other issues, I'd let a doctor rule that out.

Good luck.

Little man sounds like he's been though a lot this year. I don't have any experience or advice, but I found this site: http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/ You might have a better chance finding answers there. (((hug))

But with regards to the tonsils, start making sure he's getting enough vitamin c and other immune boosting vitamins & minerals. Cut refined processed foods. Watch for food allergies, milk esp.

S., my heart goes out to you. It sounds like you & your lil man have been through alot. I know, or can imagine you are exhausted from continous interrupted sleep. I wouldn't normally suggest or do this, but you need some sleep. Could you possibly but a spill proof sippy in the crib w/ your son so he could drink with out needing you to get it?
Maybe put just water in it so you don't have to worry about sugar setting on his teeth. I know it could be setting him up for a habit, but at this point that would be the least of my worries.

Hope you find some answers & some sleep.

God bless you!

Two of my first cousins have type 1 Diabetes, one was diagnosed at 18 months. My aunt has learned A LOT from taking care of them for the last 10 years. I would be happy to ask her a specific question on your behalf, if you let me know privately.

I remember her getting up to check the kids sugars in the night often. The doctors office should have provided you with a prescription or samples of urine testing strips and you should also have a glucometer. Now both kids have pumps and it has been very helpful. PLEASE check with the endocrinologist about this issue. Thirst in a diabetic is a serious symptom.

Many hospitals or doctors offices can connect you with a diabetes educator for free. perhaps you could also find a parent's group or another mom in your doctor's practice who can walk alongside you? There is a lot to learn, and you don't have to walk alone. I second the person who suggested getting some help. Even one afternoon nap and an hour trip out by yourself would do wonders for your well-being.

Just to encourage you, both of my cousins are now doing fantastic. They are healthy, active kids. One is sixteen, playing six-man football, active in Boy Scouts, busy with school and learning to drive. The other is a talkative, bright and funny 10-year old girl who loves to ride her bike and garden. You will get through this, and your son will be just fine.

I trust that all is well.

I am a proponent of whole health methods. I would seek the advice of a competent homeopath or naturopath and work with my regular pediatrician. Keep an open mind about alternative health. Good Luck!!!!

My son needed ear tubes and got them he can now speak very well. However I had a ENT tell me to get the tonsiles removed for sleep reasons for my son as well I didn't do it. He was about 4 yrs old at the time she also said they were to large. I went to our doctor and she said some folks have large tonsiles and some don't they come in different sizes just like ears and heads. If they aren't a cause of continued infection or causing a medical related breathing problem as a mother her self she told me not to have them removed. Well he's 8 now doesn't have throat infections nor ear problems nor breathing problems he still has them and sleeps through the night, in fact I can't get him to get up in the mornings because of the dark. He out grew the waking up at night and we also got our some a humidifer since the air conditioning can be a problem and cause dry throats and sinus problems. My best wishes on what you decide for your family.

Do you Check his blood sugar when this happens? I am a diabetic and when my blood sugar goes up I am very thirsty.

I don't know anything about why he gets up in the middle of the night to drink, but untill you find out, you could just place a non draining sippy cup in the corner of his bed so he can get himself when he wakes up at night.

My son, who does not have any of the issues that your son does, but he too would not sleep through the night. In fact, he was over three years old before he slept through the night. After the initial stages of every two hours, he would awaken at 3:00 every morning wanting juice. After he all but stopped taking a nap or falling asleep in the car, he slept more soundly at night. Even though it can be tough keeping up with him, I try to keep him busy so he is really tired when he goes to sleep. I would also try water at night instead of juice. I told a friend about my son awakening every night to get something to drink and she said, "well my son still gets up in the middle of the night to drink and he is 36 years old." I am glad my stopped at three years. Good Luck.

Have you tried testing his blood sugar during the night to see if it's drastically altering? I wonder if the nighttime waking and "needing" to drink is habit or thirst. I assume you're seeing an ped. endocrynologist -- I'd ask about it. Not much help, maybe, but I'm afraid to give the wrong advice.

If the issue is the ENT stuff and not the diabetes stuff, you could try putting a wedge under him so he's sleeping with his head slightly elevated. (They sell them at bedding places -- sell baby versions at baby stores -- maybe you could find specifically kid versions if you looked...) Or ask the ENT or ENT's nurse if that would help. If he's mouth breathing because of all of that, maybe a cool mist vaporizer -- just be vigilant with keeping the basin and filter super clean or you create problems by spewing nasties in your kid's room all night.

The best of luck to you and your son!!! I hope you come back on this site when all is figured out and let us know how it came out.

I dont have the experince with diabetes but I do have it with a kid that gets up for drinks all the time. I put a bottle or sippy cup of water in mine's room so he could get up and drink it on his own with out having to wake everyone else up.

S.,
My son drank tons and tons of water when he was younger. He had no health problems, he was just a drinker. ;-) I would put him to bed with the large "spill proof" sippy cups full of water (as someone else suggested), then he could just grab it and drink whenever he wanted. We started this in the crib and it continued honestly until he was at least 6 or 7. Now he is 11 and drinks nothing but milk and water -- not because that is what I want (I love my diet coke), but he just chooses not to drink anything else. I was very happy when they started putting milk and juice in Happy Meals because he would always waste the soda that came with it.

I would also do the humidifier that someone suggested, and between the cup and this it may get better. Is it at all possible that this is in-part a habit and/or his attempt at seeing you for comfort at night? The cup should help to tell this too. I would make a big deal about letting him pick out his "night-night" cup and just give it a try if you haven't already.

Good Luck!