Hi all! My 3 1/2 year old son may be experiencing son sleep problems and I could really use some advice. Over the past month and half my son has been very "off". My husband and I weren't sure (and still aren't) if this was due to him just going through the "3's", but it seems to be much more than that. He has had dark circles under his eyes, he is incredibly easy to agitate, an hyper sensitive over things. We have been doing a process of elimination, we added more iron to his diet, he eats very well, but has been super hungry lately. He still does take a small nap during the day but is starting to drop that as well. We noticed the other night and nights since then that his breathing seems to be a bit "off" or labored while he sleeps. So now we are wondering if that could be the problem. We are thinking about taking him to a sleep specialist, but we are currently living overseas and aren't sure if perhaps we should try something else first. If any one has any suggestions for us we would greatly appreciate the help. Our little guy is such a lovable little man, who use to be so happy and now just seems like that life or happiness isn't quite there. It's breaking our hearts.
try decongestant right before bed see if that helps. Call the pediatrician and see what they say.
Sounds like an allergy response to me...
His symptoms sound similar to that of my son who has pollen allergies. Dark circles under the eyes, fatigue but inability to sleep well and long, irritability (because he feels so darn crummy). Plus, our guy has lots of mucus. The ped also said to monitor his breathing lest he begin to develop dust allergies or asthma. Good luck!
Hi H.,
I dont have any real advice..My 8 year old is going through something similar right now also.
However, in your case-have him checked out for allergies( seasonal, food etc) Its my understanding that allergies can start anytime....might explain the dark circles.
Just a thought...Good luck and keep us posted.
P.
Sounds like sleep apnea to me. He should probably have his tonsils and adnoids out. My friend's son had the same thing going on and when he had these out he was a different child. See your ped. for more info.
i agree with the posts below, if not sleep apnea, consider allergies/asthma. although the apnea may be compounded by a flare up in allergies. best wishes in getting your little guy feeling better and back to his normal self.
I would have him checked. Labored breathing in children at night (or snoring) can be a sign of sleep apnea or he may have allergies, especially since being in a different country and different climate. Is there a history of sleep apnea in your family? The signs that he has been agitated and sensitive are also worth having him seen by a doctor. Go to the pediatrician first and let them decide if he needs a sleep specialist.
Maybe it wouldnt hurt to have a sleep study done???
MY son went through the same thing, at age 4. This was food allergies/sensitivities for my son. The allergist only wanted to test for anaphylactic allergies. Eventually I figured out my son was not able to digest food properly, and it was creating a systemic response.
(Disclosure - my son kept getting worse while we sought help. No one could find anything wrong on standard tests, and looking back I see things that made him worse. A year later he was diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. Today he is healhty, happy, and you would never know he had problems if you met us at the park).
We gave him chewable digestive enzymes every time he ate, and then did some food journaling/simplified the diet for a week or two, and found the culprit foods. That was what started our son to get better - the sleep/dark circles got better with dietary changes. We also had to detox/get chemicals out of our home from all household cleaners, laundry products, and personal care products (artifical fragrances especially). That took care of his sinus type allergies, and was the final piece that cleared up the dark circles).
I had him tested last week. He no longer has any environmental allergies and only one food allergy.
Don't let this go. Listen to your instincts and find out what is going on with your little boy.
Hi H.,
My Experience has been with allergies and asthma. My daughter suffers from them both, the asthma triggered by the allergies. The dark circles under eyes and labored breathing at night were two of her prime symptoms. While I suggest you get him checked, I also caution you to be careful and watch him for any adverse reactions he may have to medications. Some over a period of time can cause side effects that are just as undesireable. Temperment, Ticks, lack of concentration, etc. In our case we started our daughter at 3.5 yrs old on various medications until we found a combination that worked. I wish you the best and will say a prayer for your sons health to return soon to normal.
Hi H., I think you should take him to the Doctor. Follow your instinct that "something isn't right" and have him checked from top to bottom. I suggest even having him tested for diabetes and lead levels. Best wishes.
