Tuesday, August 17, 2010

UGH! Toddler sleep-- or lack there of. . .

So still trialling pork and sakes alive, this child will not sleep! B is very verbal and yes, I am super proud of her for this, but she is like a crazy encyclopedia audio book of her life when it is time for bed. She WILL NOT stop talking for up to 2 hours! With intermittent episodes of screaming and arching her back, mind you. So here is my question, normal toddler woes or significant sign of upcoming reaction? She is very restless and cannot get comfortable-- the excessive talking feels like she is actually trying to distract herself. I know she is tired-- we are very busy!-- and I have been considering cutting out her nap (1-1.5hr nap, once on most days) which I hate to do because we have only had 5 short blissful months of nap-taking EVER, but this kid has GOT to sleep at night. ARGH! Insight or ideas? Also, it is significant to note that we are STILL living in the hotel and still do not have a completely established routine (I try but hotel life and dealing with all of the stuff leading up to closing disrupts it) so I am sure that could be contributing. . . the behavior has been almost every night though since beginning the pork trial. I find it odd. I hope that is all it is. Odd. One day I'll sleep. . .

2 comments:

  1. Hyperactivity, not sure that is a good sign....although it is new for her to 'react' this way?? My little man has issues with sleep when he is not handling a food in the past- it is one of our first signs. NOT saying it will be the same for B but just wanted to add it because it IS absoluletly something I look for. Those first nights, he isn't in pain at all- just wide awake.
    Hyperactivity can come from being overtired in toddlers...it is a strange thing but SO true! They will get where they just won't sit down or stop talking...because if they do, they fall asleep but they are SO tired- they can't "settle" to do that. So, it is common too- being out of routine and all.

    And then, one more piece to add- my IgE allergic son will get where he can't sleep/fall asleep if he's crossed his threshold of eggs that day (he has to have benedryl, that helps with the allergic response and the sleep) or he'd be up all night.

    So.....not sure I am of much help in solving that for B but thought I'd share my thoughts for you to add to yours....

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  2. Exactly! B has always been a horrible sleeper (I think all of the tummy pain and upset for the first few months of her life set her up for this. Anytime ANYTHING is off, there is no sleep to be had.) and it is one of the signs that something is up with a food for us, especially since we started the reflux meds--- when we started Zantac, I never saw her sleep so well! Still no more than 12 hours in a 24 hour period (which is AWESOME! She used to sleep 6 hours total for months!) but going to sleep was so much easier for her. What I am wondering with the hyper behavior is this--- when she was tiny, we used distraction with her constantly to get her to stop screaming, even if only for a few minutes. I wonder if this has become a learned behavior; i.e. when she doesn't feel well, she now distracts herself if we don't do it for her.
    Thanks for the insight, Joy! It is good to hear from another mom who is not only dealing with FPIES but who has other kids! I feel like I have no basis of comparison for what a "normal" food trial looks like!! We are going to keep plugging along and I hope all of this is just an adjustment to meat!

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