Wakes up Screaming

Hi C.,
First, have the doctor rule out any illness. Next, start putting him to bed earlier, say around 6pm. Most night waking is caused by too late a bedtime. I HIGHLY recommend "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Dr. Marc Weissbluth for sleep training and problems. Google him and you will see how experienced he is in the area of sleep. I used his methods on my daughter from birth and she is a great sleeper. Email me if you have questions, I'm ALWAYS happy to help everyone get better quality sleep.
Sincerely,
L.

I wake up screaming too, only it is because someone has replaced my once pert breasts with ones that hide in my armpits. Scary-very scary.
I don't know what to tell you about your baby. I think most kids do that at some point.

The first step is go and see the doctor to rule out any illness that could be causing it and get professional advice if there is something physical. Other reasons maybe that he awakened at one point and you weren't there so now he's afraid you won't be there every time he awakens. That will pass as he matures which to you may be like years but to your son it may be a matter of a couple of weeks as he realizes you will come back to the room, to the house, at some point if you are not there immediately when he wakes up. Get dad involved. He needs to reassure baby that someone is there when he wakes up as well.

Hi C.!

Is he waking up EXACTLY at 10 every night? He seems a little young for Night Terrors, which is different from a nightmare if you're not familiar.

Has something changed in his diet? Maybe he's having a hard time with his stomach?

A soon as you can "pinpoint" the possible problem, more of us can be of more help to you :o)

I'm sorry you're going through this. It's always scary the first time around. It will be ok, though....

:o) N.

I am a mother of 2. I have an 8yr old and a 3 month old. I am a SAHM and watch 2 other little ones during the day, one of which is 5 months old and JUST started doing the same thing when she naps. Her mother took her to the doctor and was told she is getting her teeth, none have popped through yet but if you look at the gums (front bottom) you can see two grooves/indentions where they will be. The doctor has us giving her motrin and it seems to be working. (we also use baby oragel)
I hope this helps... it's just a thought. =)

It might be reflux. At 3 months, my daughter used to wake up crying really hard, about 30 min to 1 hour after she was fed and put in her crib. I think lying down made the reflux come up and irritated her esophagus. This went away after she was started on Zantac for her reflux. It was hard to tell, because she never spit up that much, but it was silent reflux. Or, maybe he could be teething or have an ear infection.

Is it possible for a baby to have night terrors? I just was on an overnight school field trip and one of the mothers in our cabin has what I guess is night terrors. In the middle of the night in the middle of the woods we were awakened by a bloodcurdling scream. It was creepy. Fortunately she had warned us that she does this.

If he is waking up screaming and you can't calm him down you have to just let him cry it out. I know it is hard but trying to calm him down is probably making it worse. My little boy is three and started having the screaming attacks about 6 months ago. Turned out it was called "Arrousal confusion" which means he is just too tired to stay asleep and wakes up crying. I just go in there and sit with him until he calms himself down because that is all that works. So just try that and see if it works. Good luck!

How does he fall asleep? I just heard some advice from a sleep expert saying that sometimes babies will wake up and get scared because they are not where they were when they fell asleep. So if you are rocking him to sleep then putting him in his crib, he may wake up at a light point in his sleep cycle and become confused that he isn't where he was when he went to sleep, and he's still tired, of course. I would suggest letting him fall asleep in his crib, and that doesn't mean you have to let him cry it out. You could check out the Sleep Sense program by Dana Obleman, or Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Marc Weissbluth. My five-month old is taking longer naps since I trained him to fall asleep by himself, and he wakes up happy!

My guess is ear infection... my son had chronic ear infections before getting tubes last month and him waking up screaming was one of the indications he had another one. I'd take him to the pediatrician to get checked... I'd hate for him to have to suffer unecessarily. Good luck and I hope your little one gets back to sleeping well through the night.

Please check out the free manual at Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) http://www.emofree.com

You can do this technique on yourself (as a surrogate) if you're away from him.
You may not think he can understand you, but please say out loud, "you are safe, you are safe" over and over. It will work. It will help no matter what the issue is, if it is an ear ache or if it is a nightmare, the cells of the body hear the healing intension and integrate it. You must be steady with it and if you can project the feeling of safety and security, it will be even better.

Love, L.
teacher of new consciousness

Sounds like an ear infection to me. Take him in and have his ears looked at. In the meantime, Tylenol at night. He should be fine. Too young for night terrors.

If his ears are red, than he must have an ear infection. Wet diaper might do it too. If your baby feels heavier than normal, he's constipated. I didn't have that experience, but a lady lives with me, I held her baby. I think baby senses your not in the house, and he wants you. Sometimes that happens. As he grows, he will go through those phases.
You should take him to the doctor to find out why he's screaming like that. If he used to be held alot and you change your pattern of not holding him so much, that might be the reason.

He sounds like he is a bit gassy. I gave my little ones a bottle with warm water and peppermint. Just break off a piece of peppermint candy and swrl it in the warm water. It really soothed my babes.

Hi C.,

He may be teething. He is about that age. Check his gums to see if they are red and swollen (most likely on the bottom middle). My daughter is 1, and just went through this. I know it's not fun, but it will be over soon, if this is what it is.