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Night waking

Ruling out physical causes can help you get to the root of the problem

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Originally published in Today's Parent December 2009

Q: My three-year-old has started waking up several times a night. In the morning, we find her asleep on the couch or in bed with us. Lately, she’s been waking up our 11-month-old son too. What’s going on?

A: It is not unusual for young children to go through times when getting a full night of restful, restorative sleep becomes a problem. This may be a behavioural issue, but it’s a good idea to rule out physical causes as well. Does she snore? Is she itchy? Is she in pain? Is she a sleepwalker? Try to limit high-sugar snacks before bed. Once you’ve ruled out the physical causes, make sure she’s not reacting to stress within the extended family or at daycare.

Finally, if none of these factors is the culprit, it’s time to make certain her sleep pattern doesn’t become a habit. When she comes into your bed, reassure her that she’s safe. Tell her that everyone needs their sleep and return her to her own bed. Initiate a quiet period before bedtime (no rough games or electronic stimulation). For more ideas, check out Better Sleep for Your Baby & Child by Shelly Weiss.

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What do you think?

  • heidi (not verified) says ....

    i'm having big time issues with my 3 yr old..she used to be a fantastic sleeper..goes to bed awesome and wakes up awesome. now she has full on screaming crying temper tantrums fer up to 3-4 hrs at 4am..ive turned on nite lights, make sure she was peed and pooed, checked with doctors for anything physically wrong? she just started this about 3 1/2 weeks ago..its now stretching into the day and before bed..she has no sugary snacks before bed..her last drink is an hour before bed..we have a bed time routine..i dont know what else to do? now i;m at the point where i keep her in her room with the door locked an ignore her..as much as i can..i find myself crying more than her..shes safe and takin care of..shes just angry!! and i cant reason whatsoever with her..i'm really struggling and super frustrated..please help!! at least fer the sake of my daughter..

    • 13 March 2012

  • Christina (not verified) says ....

    I wish I knew Krista. My son Maxx is the same age and he was sleeping through the night (6 hours at least) but now for the last 5 weeks has started waking every two hours again. I've tried every website and all their suggestions and nothing seems to work. He just wants to eat. So I figure if he's hungry I have to feed him and I'm hoping that he's just going through his 6-month growth spurt a bit early.

    • 10 January 2012

  • Krista (not verified) says ....

    I have a 5 and a 1/2 month old and he has never slept through the night. He cut two teeth last month and then had some bad eczema.. but now he is doing well but still wakes up 6-10 times a night. How can i get him to sleep for longer then a two hour period at night!?

    • 14 December 2011