Oh my goodness my dd is up every night screaming

amother

Mon, Feb 25 2013, 4:46 pm

My dd is turning 2 in march. She has slept through the night for a long time however in instances where she comes down with a virus or fever it disrupts her sleep and then for a few days after being better she follows her sick sleeping pattern till she gets back to her usual 7PM to 7 AM routine.
However, last week for several nights she woke about 4 AM screaming her head off. My husband is the pro at getting her back to sleep so he held her and rocked her but when he put her back down she still cried so we had to let her cry because we were not going to hold her till morning (as she seemed to want). After a few nights like that (and no fever) she started saying to me "ear, ear" so I ran her to dr who said she had an ear infection and she went on an antibiotic. We thought she would sleep and one night she did but just once.....she has, every night, woken around 4 AM and screamed her head off. My husband holds her, puts her back in her crib, and she continues to scream. When I put her down to sleep at night she used to go so easily, now she started screaming then too. I went in last night and re-rocked her (I talk to her so she isnt being rocked to sleep, just held and cuddled) and she still screamed when I walked out after.
So I am mystified but more by the middle of the night sessions. It's really disruptive to the whole house as her screaming is so loud. My other kids are waking from her.
During the day she is so yummy and cuddly. What is going on in her crib?

cbsmommy

Mon, Feb 25 2013, 6:09 pm

As a mommy of someone that has had some horrible ear infections I'm going to give you an opinion based on my experience.

Sounds like your daughter has inner ear fluid.

Ear infections mean that fluid (which isn't supposed to be there) has accumulated from the sinuses (which is why ear infections are common after a cold or virus) inside the middle ear, and has been colonized full of bacteria. Antibiotics kill that bacteria -- but they don't get rid of that thick, horrible fluid.

The fluid slowly drains through the Eustachian tubes down into the back of the throat (so your ears, nose, and throat are all connected). Average wait of about a month for the fluid to drain.

In the meantime, the children feel pain. They aren't feverish anymore, but they still feel uncomfortable. That pain gets worse when the child is lying flat (like in a crib). When sitting up, standing, or distracted, the feeling isn't as noticeable.

But lying down with fluid in the ear hurts. When you leave she's translation you're actions as "You're in pain, but I'm going away." So of course she starts screaming! She wants comfort.

You can try giving her tylenol or motrin. I found my DD did best on motrin because it lasted longer.

Also, keep in mind that because the fluid isn't drained, it can "regrow" some pathogens and she'll have another ear infection.

It's a lovely cycle.

NOT.

My eldest needed tubes (equalize the pressure and assist with fluid drainage) twice in order to break the cycle of ear infections. We found that before tubes she was awake all night screaming. After tubes she slept through the night.