
What Causes Disturbed Sleep And Fatigue In An Infant While Recovering From Diarrhea?

Posted on
Mon, 7 May 2018
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team


Question : I have a 7month old girl baby & she has been having very disturbed sleep from last few weeks. It all started after we went out for a trip involving road/train/flight travel in last week of March. During the trip we dint observe any issues , however once we came back home. Baby started having loose motions, loose motions went on for atleast 3 weeks & we consulted a local pediatric who advised Taxim syrup(for bacterial infection treatment) for her 5 days .After 5 days when the loose motion dint stop, we waited for few more days & then doctor asked us to start with Taxim dosage for another 5 days, after which the loose motions subsided. All these days she was having very disturbed sleep & would continuously seek feeding through out the night, Now even after her initial illness is cured, she is still with the same habit of not getting a continuous sleep at night. As soon as she goes to sleep within 20 mins she would start crying for feed & after feed would go off to sleep again. But the problem is every 20 -25 mins she keeps seeking feed & this continues through out the night. In morning as well she doesn't sleep continuously for more than 30mins, when she is awake she is playful & doesn't show any signs of fatigue or illness. Please suggest on how can we correct her habits or get her to a good peaceful sleep.
Brief Answer:
Sleep hygiene
Detailed Answer:
Hi... I understand your concern.
For a 7 month old baby, it is very difficult to change the sleep habit as they don't understand what ever we do.
This is just a habit which might have started due to the illness which is very common in this scenario.
This is because of the attachment the baby develops during illness.
This has to gradually settle by itself.
I do not think whatever we do will change this by force.
Best regards - Dr Sumanth Amperayani
Sleep hygiene
Detailed Answer:
Hi... I understand your concern.
For a 7 month old baby, it is very difficult to change the sleep habit as they don't understand what ever we do.
This is just a habit which might have started due to the illness which is very common in this scenario.
This is because of the attachment the baby develops during illness.
This has to gradually settle by itself.
I do not think whatever we do will change this by force.
Best regards - Dr Sumanth Amperayani
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad


Hi Doctor thanks for your response, however we are most concerned about she being sleep deprived. Through out the day she would be sleeping a XXXXXXX of 8 hrs & that too in a discontinous manner. Would this affect her? Anything that we could do treat or get her to sleep more peacefully ?
Brief Answer:
Sleep hygiene
Detailed Answer:
Hi... there are medicines which induce sleep but not recommended at this age group.
This sleep cycle gets back to normal once she forgets about the suffering she underwent in illness.
Give her some time.
Nothing adverse Will happen due to this sleep alteration.
Best regards - Dr Sumanth Amperayani
Sleep hygiene
Detailed Answer:
Hi... there are medicines which induce sleep but not recommended at this age group.
This sleep cycle gets back to normal once she forgets about the suffering she underwent in illness.
Give her some time.
Nothing adverse Will happen due to this sleep alteration.
Best regards - Dr Sumanth Amperayani
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad

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