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My Three-Year-Old Son Has Never Slept Through The Night

by Amanda
(Kitchener, Ont.)

My son has always been a light sleeper and has always woken up at least 2-4 times a night. He is three years old. As a result of his lack of sleep he is very hyper, unfocused and causes trouble for attention. Also because he wakes up several times a night and wakes me up each time I am very sleep deprived too. He also will not nap. We are both starting school in Sept (me in college) and I am very concerned.

If I tier him out during the day (which takes a lot) he will fall asleep within minuets but will wake up several times a night and get up at 5am in the morning after only going to bed at 8pm. We both can not live like this. Please can you offer any advice as to what to do to get my son to have healthy sleep patterns. Thank you.

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My Three-Year-Old Son Has Never Slept Through The Night

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Aug 25, 2010
 Perhaps
by: Anonymous

1. see the best sleep specialists you can possibly find to help your child

2. you need to sleep, yourself. Get someone to watch your child during the day so you can take a nap, especially if you are going to school!

3. sleep next to him a few nights: does he have episodes where he stops breathing? Snores? Request a sleep study from your pediatrician.

4. in thinking about your child's behaviors...get your child set up within the school system now (get him qualified for an IEP under Developmental Delay) He will need this if his sleep deprivation continues into kindergarten and beyond. Adults won't understand that his behavior comes from sleep deprivation and you will have to be a loud advocate for his needs (I know, my son has similar hyperactivity, behaviors from sleep deprivation and it is a constant struggle)

5. try to view his hyperactivity and behaviors as a disability (not to feel sorry for him) but to understand what he is going through more readily...poor little guy: he must be so scared and anxious not getting enough sleep...

Pray, do lots of research, ask doctors a million questions, set up consultation times once per month with your pediatrician to see what to do next...I hear your pain, I understand, and you will find the help your little one needs. It's tiring, but you can do it.
Hope this helps.
Sep 02, 2011
 help
by: kristal

Sleep has never came easy for our lil guy, it started at birth! I have two older children & never had any problems with their sleep habits. I have never allowed the children to sleep with us, but when the the lil one started flipping out of his crib at night & waking up the whole house, I was weak and let him sleep with us:/ since then we have got him a toddler bed, witch he also didn't sleep in & now he has a twin bed and won't sleep there either! He doesn't nap unless were in the car! He has tons of tantrums, hits and spits.
It's becoming a big problem!! Can't really go anywhere, he is like a little bomb, never know when he's going blow!! Yes , I took him to a behavior specialist, he said put him on a sleep aid " melatonin" he was 2 at that time....the pills don't work, he still wakes up with night tares, sometimes talking in his sleep....what else can I do for my little guy?

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