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Dr. Andrew Rynne
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Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Child Has Fever, Low Appetite, Wakes Up During Night And Does Not Sleep Back. Advice?

Hi My daughter is seventeen months old. She is unwell with a temperature and off her food at the moment. The biggest problem however seems to be that, when she is poorly she wakes up during the night, and will not go back to sleep at all. I have tried many things such as giving her milk, rocking her etc. This is also a problem when she is healthy. It seems that she is unable to put herself back to sleep. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Hayley simpson
posted on Thu, 11 Oct 2012
Twitter Thu, 11 Oct 2012 Answered on
Twitter Thu, 11 Oct 2012 Last reviewed on
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  User's Response
Hi.
thanks for the query. When your child is sick, her sleep patterns may be disturbed due to on and off fever and general malaise. That's nothing to worry about and you only need to reassure the child and perhaps make the child lie down beside you, play some soft music( this works miracles) till she sleeps.Once she recovers, you have to follow some time discipline regarding meal times and bed times.
Ensure she doesn't nap during the day...or not more than half an hour daytime sleep( early afternoon). Give some good physical activity during evening play time. Let her have a wholesome early supper by around 7 pm, followed by a glass of luke warm milk at around 8.30 pm. Then put her in bed in a cozy atmosphere with soft instrumental music and stick to the routine daily. In less than a month she will get used to this and sleep well.
A child of this age needs around 10 hours of sleep. Its normal for the child to wake up once or twice at night. Give her some milk and ignore her till she goes back to sleep. If you make it a habit to rock her to sleep, she wont sleep till you do so or begin to fuss and get cranky.
Hope you will be able to follow this advice.
Take care. bye
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Child Has Fever, Low Appetite, Wakes Up During Night And Does Not Sleep Back. Advice?

Hi. thanks for the query. When your child is sick, her sleep patterns may be disturbed due to on and off fever and general malaise. That s nothing to worry about and you only need to reassure the child and perhaps make the child lie down beside you, play some soft music( this works miracles) till she sleeps.Once she recovers, you have to follow some time discipline regarding meal times and bed times. Ensure she doesn t nap during the day...or not more than half an hour daytime sleep( early afternoon). Give some good physical activity during evening play time. Let her have a wholesome early supper by around 7 pm, followed by a glass of luke warm milk at around 8.30 pm. Then put her in bed in a cozy atmosphere with soft instrumental music and stick to the routine daily. In less than a month she will get used to this and sleep well. A child of this age needs around 10 hours of sleep. Its normal for the child to wake up once or twice at night. Give her some milk and ignore her till she goes back to sleep. If you make it a habit to rock her to sleep, she wont sleep till you do so or begin to fuss and get cranky. Hope you will be able to follow this advice. Take care. bye