Many parents, whether or not they’ve had other children, can be baffled when they realize something is wrong with their child. There are feelings of frustration and despair, as well as deep concern and indecisiveness with how to handle your child’s sleep problems.
Whether your child’s sleep problem is nightmares or wetting the bed, your child is at the forefront of your mind. When your baby wakes up with a blood-curdling scream in the middle of the night, it’s frightening. More frightening is a baby who will not be calmed with a touch, a bottle, or a new diaper. You’ll wonder what is hurting your child or if he has mild (or severe) discomfort of some kind.
Some children wake in the middle of the night and bang their heads against the rails of the crib. Your child’s sleep problems are not at always apparent, and it is not your fault that you can’t figure out what is wrong. Some children sleep all night, others cry all night. A big myth is that a child will cry if left unattended but will eventually fall asleep.
This is, however, not true of a child whose body cycle does not cause him to become sleepy. If your child is crying at the same intensity all night, he’s not looking for attention—he is indicating that something is wrong; it’s time to take him to a sleep center and ask the doctor about your child’s sleep problem. Look for signs of sleepwalking or head banging. Think back—does the child eat on a regular schedule, or do you have to feed to create a schedule?
Migraines
Children who do not eat or become hungry on a regular schedule may be indicating their lack of a cyclic metabolism. These infants and children are prone to migraines, which can occur when a child is hungry. This is not to imply that the child is neglected or unfed. It is more indicative of a situation where the child does not complain of being hungry, so a bottle or feeding isn’t given. If the child goes to bed without eating on a regular schedule, he might sleep himself right into a migraine that will appear if his body decides he’s hungry, or if his blood sugars are low.
Don’t assume that a migraine headache is impossible in an infant, or that a child would obviously wake up and cry if hungry. If you’ve worked for years to determine what is wrong with your child, one night he may come to you holding his head—and only then that you as an unsuspecting parent might think to investigate headaches as potential source of your child’s sleep problem.
What are common signs of sleep disorders in children?
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Signs include crying at consistent intensity throughout the night that is not calmed by feeding, a diaper change, or touch; head banging against crib rails; and sleepwalking. If your child cries at the same level all night rather than gradually settling, that is often a signal something deeper is happening rather than a bid for attention.
When should I take my child to a sleep center?
If your child cries persistently through the night without calming, or you notice consistent sleepwalking or head banging, it is worth consulting your pediatrician and asking about a sleep center evaluation. Noting whether the crying happens at the same intensity all night rather than tapering off is a useful detail to share with the doctor.
Can children and infants get migraines?
Yes, even infants can experience migraines. Children who do not naturally feel hunger on a regular schedule may have an irregular metabolism, and when blood sugar drops overnight a migraine can develop. A child might sleep through initial hunger and wake hours later in real pain, which can be puzzling without knowing that hunger-triggered headaches are possible at this age.
Why does my baby keep waking at night even when nothing seems obviously wrong?
Some children have body cycles that do not naturally produce sleepiness on a predictable schedule, so the usual remedies like feeding, rocking, or a fresh diaper will not help if the root cause is metabolic. Think about whether your child tends to eat on a regular schedule. An irregular, demand-only feeding pattern can hint at a cyclic metabolism issue worth discussing with your pediatrician.
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