Sleepless nights are what all young parents face without exception. Newborn babies feel the need for night feeding, younger preschoolers sometimes wet the bed or wake up, feeling the need to visit the toilet. All this is absolutely normal everyday situations. And if the child wakes up at night with a tantrum and screams, bursting into tears? What could be the reason for such behavior, how to behave parents in this situation?
Why do babies wake up at night?
The only means of communication for the smallest is crying and screaming. Newborns do not realize their own needs, and even more so cannot explain them to adults. What if a very small child wakes up at night with a tantrum? Most often, the cause of the incident is the physiological needs of the baby. A newborn may be uncomfortable with a stained diaper, or may feel hungry. Sometimes very young children wake up because the room is too cold or too hot. Eliminate the likely cause of concern and put the baby to bed. If the child continues to cry and does not fall asleep for a long time, it is likely that he suffers from colic. If you suspect this problem, it makes sense to carefully massage the baby’s tummy.
Nocturnal tantrums in children under three years of age
The appearance of the first teeth in a baby is a touching event during which many children become restless. Do not be surprised if at this time the child wakes up at night with crying and screaming. There are many ways to reduce the discomfort for the baby when teething. The easiest one is to purchase teething toys that can be nibbled and regularly lubricate the baby’s gums with a special gel. But night feeding was a thing of the past, and the teeth grew safely. What if one day a child wakes up at night in hysterics? 2 years is a special age. Children already know how to communicate with parents, but their life experience is not enough to accurately and clearly formulate all their thoughts. In fact, all the causes of tantrums at night can be divided into two categories: physiological and psychological. In the first case, the baby probably wants to drink, go to the toilet or experiences other discomfort. In the second, hysteria is caused by a nightmare, vivid impressions or a psycho-emotional shock. If a child wakes up at night and screams in hysterics often enough, it makes sense to show it to a neurologist. Sometimes this behavior is a symptom of disorders of the nervous system. A single hysteria can signal the onset of some kind of acute illness.
Overwork - the cause of tantrums at night
Very often, with a cry and screams at night, a child wakes up who is overworked during the day. Has your baby walked too much, played active games or visited an unusual place? Most likely his nervous system is tired. What to do if a child wakes up at night with a tantrum after daytime activity? Review the baby’s daily routine and try not to overload his nervous system. Remember, before 5 years old every child needs a daytime sleep. Many children try to refuse to rest at lunch as early as 2 years. But even if it seems that the baby tolerates the absence of daytime sleep well, parents should not agree with this regimen of the day. Put your baby to sleep for at least 40-60 minutes in the afternoon. Such rest is necessary for the baby’s fragile nervous system.
Vivid impressions are not always useful
A trip to the zoo, a trip to visit grandmother or watching a colorful cartoon - all these are real events in the life of a small person. Even a regular walk in an unusual place or a visit to a new store can impress a baby. Most parents try to surprise the kids and make their life truly vibrant. If, after an interesting and eventful day, the child wakes up at night with a tantrum, cries and screams - it is difficult to understand such behavior. But in fact, its reason lies in the overload of the nervous system. If the baby was very impressed with something negative, in a dream he can see a full nightmare. Parents should try to minimize the likelihood of nocturnal tantrums on the basis of an excess of impressions. Choose entertainment according to the age of the child. If you want to show your baby something unusual, reduce the time for such walks to a minimum. Protect your child from negative information. Cartoons should contain only positive images, adult programs for young children should not be watched at all. This evening news release seems to you trivial, and the kid can be scared by the plot of military operations or the stern voice of the announcer.
Stress and family stress
Sleep disorders are a common occurrence in families with unfavorable psychological conditions. If parents often swear, talk in raised tones or are disrespectful to each other, the child is worried. Even the smallest children intuitively feel the mood of adult households. Family problems make the child nervous. The kid may be afraid that one of the parents will leave the family, or even blame himself for the quarrels of the elders. What to do in such situations? Trying to solve the problem fundamentally is to establish relationships in the family.
The child screams but did not wake up
One form of night tantrums scares parents more than others. Some children scream and cry at night, not waking up to the end. Such a hysteria looks really creepy from the side - it is not always possible to wake up a child right away, he roars and wriggles, can repel a comforting adult. When the baby finally wakes up, for several minutes he wakes up, looking around as if he sees everything around him for the first time in his life. What to do, the child wakes up at night with a tantrum and cannot wake up from sleep completely? Experts do not recommend abruptly waking up the baby. Try to calm the child, gently stroke him, speak in a calm voice or take the baby in his arms. If tantrums in a dream are repeated regularly - be sure to contact a neurologist.
A child wakes up at night with a tantrum: what should parents do?
Periodically, night tantrums occur in every child. There is no reason for parents to worry until such incidents become regular. But what if the child wakes up and screams? The most important thing for parents in this situation is to remain calm. Try to determine the cause of the tantrum. If it is associated with the physiological needs of the child, they must be satisfied. When a tantrum is observed in a child older than three years, it makes sense to try to ask your favorite child about the reason for his concern. Calm the baby and put him to bed, sit next to him for a while. If a child wakes up at night with a tantrum every hour, or nightmares become regular, it makes sense to consult a doctor to determine the problem and prescribe treatment.