My 15-month-old started getting a fever on Thursday. Luckily, his well baby was the next day so the doctor checked him out and said its probably just a virus. Since then, his fevers have been pretty constant although they go down as soon as we give Motrin but the real cause of concern for me right now is that he wakes up in the middle of the night crying and can't be consoled. He doesnt want the pacifier, water, milk or us even holding him -- all things that would normally calm him down. The only thing that works is if we take him outside into the cool air and that seems to distract him but then as soon as he comes back inside, he starts to whimper. I'm wondering what to make of this ... do you think there's something physically wrong with him that the doctor didn't see? or is it just another developmental thing?? Thoughts?
Sometimes with fever comes really super sensitive skin. I have never experienced this, but my babysitter has, she said it is terrible. Perhaps that is what is going on? Poor baby
My 15 mo. old just started waking up about 2am crying. He's done it a few times now. He's ok as long as we hold onto him in our bed for a while. I think it's nightmeres.
You said it is cooler air outside that help. I am wondering if your overdressing them for bed. Sometimes kids body temp goes up during sleep he just might be getting to hot. I did that once and my goodness what a night.
Are you sure that he doesn't have an ear infection? Are you letting him sleep with the bottle full of milk and could he have esophageal reflux? Just FYI
I have written a book for parents from Birth to Two that is called "My Baby Compass" that is available on Amazon.com that further explains development. Hope this may give you some further insight. K. Thorson Gruhn, Speech-Language Pathologist
TEETHING!!!! get some gentle naturals teething drops!!! if hes feverish and hot the cool air feels good to him.. what my daughters dr had us do is give her a full dose of tylenol (its better for fevers) and a 1/2 dose of motrin (better for pain) when she was teething and feverish. try that. hope it works!
There may be something in his room or in the house that he is suddenly aware of that he didn't notice before that is upsetting him. As children grow, they have developmental leaps of awareness to their environment.
I also think Jennifer U. and BusyMommy B. have really good points.
When my oldest was a baby he had hand foot and mouth disease. It was only in his throat though...had no idea for a few days, just thought he had a virus or was teething...he reacted similarly to your baby.
-M
I agree that it may be vivid dreams caused by fever. My 13 month old son has started waking up once or twice a night needing a hug and a pat before going back to sleep. He also sometimes has to be taken out of the room or he will cry for 30 minutes no matter what we do. I know you are tired but I suggest taking him outside and comforting him back to sleep.
I wake up from nightmares really upset sometimes and need a good 30 minutes or so before my body calms down --even though I know it wasn't real.
Only you know your child and I say that if you feel out of sorts about it then you should definitely take him back to the doctor. No matter what the doctor told you previously, I feel like if you know your baby and this isn't normal for him then there is a problem under the surface so to speak.
Sometimes I have bad dreams when I have a fever. I suggest that the combination of not feeling well and have a bad dream is the cause. I'd just continue to respond to his crying by trying to console him for a few minutes. I'd work on not being so anxious because your efforts at consoling him in an anxious way may be making it worse for him.
If taking him outside has helped, do that first. It's summer, could you put a rocking chair on the front porch or in the back yard and gently rock him until he goes back to sleep?
Sometimes we just need to cry. Same for babies. Have you tried just calmly holding him? Let him cry it out while he knows you are there and keeping him safe.
If it's not too soon after the previous dose, give him another dose of ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
