Repost - Toddler Screaming Every Night. Need Help!

Repost from the Child With Special Needs Board b/c DS has expressive and expressive delays with sensory issues.
Just want to Vent a bit b/c this is a tough phase that's lasting a couple of months now.
When he's sweet he's really the best, but mornings and middle of the night is rough per my story below....

We're trying everything. When 1 thing works 1 night it doesn't work the next.
I don't know what to do anymore.
He's getting harder to put to sleep too. I took away his Leap Pad at nights b/c I read computers b4 bed makes it worse. Last night after a day outside he wasn't bad putting him to sleep (it was close to 9, but usually he goes to sleep between 8:30 & 10PM).
Just about every night he gets up between 1AM and 3AM screaming his head off. He yells for daddy b/c he's a daddy's boy. Daddy always holds him and I'm usually with the baby.
I feel like I'm also more of the disciplinarian so of course daddy is the good guy.
Screams and screams and breathing heavy then will hit his head or go to the floor banging it or fighting whoever is holding him.
We pick him up, console him, give him the paci (which I know he's almost 3, but it comforts him), everything.
For a while I tried saying he can sleep on our floor, but now he doesn't like it.
He just wants daddy to walk with him. He screams and screams and yells Daddy over and over again.
Last night took almost an hour.
Worst part is now he's not getting enough sleep so when I get him up at 6AM for daycare he screams more and shouts "NO" to everything.
He can't tell us what he wants and he doesn't even know. WE say do you want to eat oatmeal and he yells No over and over then he asks for it. We sit him down and he screams.
It's like whatever we do he screams at. I'll give him choice and be stern. Today I said to him it's oatmeal or he's going in the car.
Of course he screams for daddy. Daddy can only take him in the car.
He screams and cries for daddy on the way to school then finally calms.
I miss my little boy that loved me so much and wanted to play fun games when we'd drive in the car to school. He used to give me kisses and walk away. Now he screams.
He knows I can't always pick him up. Especially b/c I have the baby, but daddy is strong so can hold them both
It breaks my heart. Especially b/c no one sees this side of DS. He's like a switch and can go from 0 to 60.
Believe me I'm trying everything. I even tell DH he has to be more stern.
We have his eval tomorrow morning with the local pre-school for their Special Ed program and still waiting on an appt for a Ped Neurologist
I just don't know what to do. When he's good he's so sweet and smart and loving. Lots of hugs and will talk and play with us.
Then he switches and will scream and bang his head over and over yelling NO or DADDY.

THanks for reading if you made it this far. I LOVE DS, but he just seems so distant some times. I hope it's a phase, but it's lasting too long.

Re: Repost - Toddler Screaming Every Night. Need Help!

I don't have much advice for you but wanted to send you hugs. We are going through major sleep problems over here too and it's just so difficult. You are doing your best, don't forget that. Toddlers can be so difficult as it is but when you through in language issues, it's that much harder. Your little boy is still in there, he's just having trouble figuring things out. As for the daddy thing, it's a phase. DS pushed me out of the way to get to daddy this morning - apparently only daddy is good enough to sit and drink his milk with. You are the tough one and daddy is the savior, it's normal. It would probably help if both you and DH were on the same page. Sometimes DH's don't get it or don't want to though.

Hopefully the eval and neuro apptmt will give you some answers and pointers on what you can do to help your DS.



As for the paci, don't feel bad. Mason is having difficulty figuring things out and regulating himself, if a paci helps him, great. You do what you need to and what your DS needs. Doesn't matter what anyone else thinks or even the medical establishment - I doubt a paci a few minutes a day will cause irreparable damage.

Re: Repost - Toddler Screaming Every Night. Need Help!

I don't have any advice, but just wanted to send some hugs

Re: Repost - Toddler Screaming Every Night. Need Help!

Thanks for the support and reading my looong vent.
Of course I call at his daycare and he's having a wonderful day. I'll pick him up and he'll be happy, but the nights and mornings... just been a nightmare. I hope there's a light