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baby sleeping problems - please help!

Can anyone help me in finding the correct remedy to use for my son? He is 23 months old, and exhibits the following:

-Sleeping problems - he has NEVER slept more than 3-4 hours in a row. For the last several months, he is waking up every 1-2 hours throughout the night and needing to nurse back to sleep. He tends to flail around quite a bit while asleep, and also talks/whines in his sleep. When he wakes up, he'll start calling 'momma' and if I don't respond he will try to get out of bed, or sometimes he will cry. He tends to wake more often towards morning, starting around 4am or so. He naps for 2 hours during the day, but usually requires that I nurse him back to sleep once during that period.

-Eczema - He has eczema on the back of his thighs below his diaper. It is scaly and red, but doesn't seem to particularly bother him. He is also prone to diaper rashes if not changed immediately. He also gets red around the anus sometimes. On a couple occasions, he has had a small patch of eczema right by his armpit on the right side, and once right below his lower lip on the right side. I have never used any suppressing ointments on him, but have applied some shea butter/coconut oil sometimes. His diet is excellent (no processed foods, everything homemade, from whole ingredients, and he has never had any gluten-grains). He is not a picky eater. He also really likes tart foods such as oranges, lemons, sauerkraut, and pickles.

-Irritability - He can be sweet, but he is also prone to irritability. If he doesn't get his way, he will refuse any consolation and lay on the floor to cry. (He will take to the breast at such times, but only if I don't ask him if he wants it.) He also refuses affection often, saying 'no kiss' or 'no hug'. He likes to nurse often, and that is usually the only consolation I can give him.

-Independence - He can be fiercely independent, so much that he will refuse any help even if he is so frustrated that he is screaming and crying.

-Fixations - He tends to get fixated on things. For instance, right now he is fixated on a small vacuum cleaner we have, wanting to carry it around with him and requesting I get it out for him several times each day. If I don't want to give him the vacuum, he gets very upset and starts crying 'tiny vacuum, tiny vacuum'. He has even cried out for it in his sleep.

-He tends to be loud and rambunctious, and he is very verbal.

-Milestones: walking at 12 months, first teeth at 10 months, first words at 11 months.

Please let me know if any other information would help in selecting a remedy for him. I tried Cham 30x (one dose each night) for 3 days and it didn't seem to help. A few weeks later, I tried Sulfur 30x (one dose each night) for 3 days and didn't notice any improvement. (But perhaps 3 days was not long enough?)

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
[message edited by Sarah3NN on Sat, 28 Jan 2012 23:49:46 GMT]
 
  Sarah3NN on 2012-01-28
This is just a forum. Assume posts are not from medical professionals.

[message deleted by Sarah3NN on Sun, 29 Jan 2012 03:12:11 GMT]
 
Sarah3NN last decade
The remedies will act better in 30C potency instead of 30X.
 
kadwa last decade
Thanks for your reply. I am fairly new to homeopathy, and have been a bit nervous about using c potencies instead of x, because everyone in my family has heightened senses and is generally sensitive to medications, smells, etc. I thought maybe it was safer to start with the x potencies and then perhaps move to the c if I have determined the correct remedy. Does that not seem like a good approach?
 
Sarah3NN last decade
X potences are more likely to cause aggravations than C. You have it around the wrong way.
 
brisbanehomoeopath last decade
Ohm wow, thanks for the clarification. Do you think I should try the same remedies again (sulphur and cham) in a c potency? If so, should I give one dose per day, and for how long? If the correct remedy is found, would I notice immediate improvement, or would it take a couple days? (I know this can be individual, but just wondering so I know when to stop if I don't notice any improvement.)
 
Sarah3NN last decade
Three doses about 12 hours apart should arouse the necessary reaction. If there is some reaction with the first or second dose, you should stop then and there. Then you should wait and watch in next 7 days.
 
kadwa last decade
Thank you. Do you think I should try the sulphur or the cham again? (Or another remedy all together?)
 
Sarah3NN last decade
Did you want me to take his case? Self-prescribing can be very risky, so you should have someone with experience and training supervising.

Be aware though that treatment over an internet forum is quite difficult, and many of the signs and clues available in a face-to-face consultation are missing altogether.

Answer the following questions I will see what I can do.

1. Describe in detail the main problem - appearance, colour, shape, symptoms, behaviour etc. What happens, when it happens etc.

2. Describe any pains or behaviours associated with the symptoms.

3. Describe anything that makes the problem worse ie. position, temperature, food etc.

4. Describe anything that makes the problem better ie. pain is better for cold bathing or at night in bed.

5. Go through each symptom or problem he/she has, doing the same thing (answering questions 1-4), even if the problem does not seem connected to any others.

6. When did each problem start? What happened around that same time?

7. What is his/her character like? What kinds of fears or anxieties does he/she have? What makes him/her irritable? Flesh out his/her personality.

8. What foods does he/she crave or hate? What drinks does he/she crave or hate? Is he/she sensitive to anything he/she eats or drinks?

9. How does the weather or season affect him/her?

10. How have all his/her milestones gone? Does he/she have any issue with speaking, learning, walking, climbing etc

11. How is he/she with socializing with others?

12. What is his/her bowel habit like? Any problems? Any odours, strange colours or stool shapes?

13. Where does he/she sweat? Does it have a smell or does it stain a particular colour?

14. History of illnesses in his/her life?

15. Has he/she reacted to any vaccines or medical drugs?

16. Problems with sleep? Position he/she sleeps in? Nightmares or any dreams he/she talks about?

17. How is he/she with animals?

18. How is he/she with adults or strangers?

19. What is the family history of illness and disease?

20. What was the pregnancy like? Any odd symptoms or feelings that disappeared once he/she was born?
 
brisbanehomoeopath last decade
Yes, that would be wonderful.

1. Describe in detail the main problem - appearance, colour, shape, symptoms, behaviour etc. What happens, when it happens etc.
Sleeping problems: My son has NEVER slept more than 3-4 hours in a row. For the last several months, he is waking up every 1-2 hours throughout the night and needing to nurse back to sleep.

Eczema: He has eczema on the back of his thighs below his diaper that comes and goes. It is scaly and red, but doesn't seem to particularly bother him. He is also prone to diaper rashes if not changed immediately (his skin will get very red, especially if he is exposed to stool for any amount of time). He also gets red around the anus sometimes, and will get a dry rash (that is not red but can be felt with your hand) if his clothes are washed with a detergent that is scented. On a couple occasions, he has had a small patch of eczema right by his armpit on the right side, and once right below his lower lip on the right side. I have never used any suppressing ointments on him, but have applied some shea butter/coconut oil sometimes. All of these skin ailments are getting better over time.

Irritability: He can be very irritable if he does not get his way or if he is frustrated about something. When he is irritable, he will refuse any consolation and if he gets worked up enough, he will lay on the floor to cry or go to another room to cry (but will not ever settle himself down; instead he'll just get more and more worked up.) He will take to the breast at such times, but only if I don't ask him if he wants it. He also refuses affection often, saying 'no kiss' or 'no hug'.

2. Describe any pains or behaviours associated with the symptoms.
Sleeping problems: He tends to flail around quite a bit while asleep, and also talks/whines in his sleep. When he wakes up, he'll start calling 'momma' and if I don't respond he will try to get out of bed (even though he sleeps in my bed), or occasionally he will cry. He tends to wake more frequently towards morning, starting around 4am or so. He naps for 2 hours during the day, but usually requires that I nurse him back to sleep once during that period. He also sometimes has a hard time going to sleep at bed time. He will just keep flopping around for 30-60 minutes.

Eczema: The eczema doesn't seem to bother him at all.

Irritability: Vehemently refuses consolation, and will vehemently resist being picked up all the way until he starts nursing.

3. Describe anything that makes the problem worse ie. position, temperature, food etc.
Sleeping problems: He is very sensitive to noise and lights, and even to my energy state (if I try to talk on the phone while he is asleep, he will wake up even though I'm far away and he can't hear me). Sometimes he can't seem to stand having blankets on him, and other times he doesn't mind them. He also seems to sleep best laying on his stomach rather than on his back.

Eczema: Sometimes his skin problems have gotten worse whenever a new food was introduced (such as sweet potato fries). This would be temporary (lasting a day or so) so long as I didn't give him the new food again.

Irritability: Being hungry or tired makes it worse. If I get upset, he tends to get upset as well (or even if I discuss religion with a friend). I haven't noticed any associations with temperature, food, etc. He definitely is happier when in fresh air outside.

4. Describe anything that makes the problem better ie. pain is better for cold bathing or at night in bed.
Sleeping problems: I haven't been able to find anything that consistently makes him sleep better.

Eczema: It comes and goes, and I'm not sure exactly what triggers it (besides a few times that I know it was triggered by food).

Irritability: When he has gotten adequate sleep, he is less irritable. Frequent nursing also helps.

5. Go through each symptom or problem he/she has, doing the same thing (answering questions 1-4), even if the problem does not seem connected to any others.

6. When did each problem start? What happened around that same time?
Sleeping problems: My son has had problems sleeping from the day he was born. Even as a newborn, he would startle awake if there was any loud noise. When he was an infant, I had to carry him making loud shushing noises and patting his back for about 30 minutes at nap time and at bed time. Over time, I got him used to nursing to sleep instead, although I still have to do the carrying routine occasionally (for instance, if he cannot nurse due to a stuffy nose).

Eczema: The rashes and eczema started when he was very young, probably within the first couple months of being born.

Irritability: This started probably around 15-18 months old. Or maybe earlier. He cried every evening when he was a baby, and would continue to do so even while I was doing the carrying/shushing routine for awhile. He also cried a lot every time he got tired.

7. What is his/her character like? What kinds of fears or anxieties does he/she have? What makes him/her irritable? Flesh out his/her personality.
He can be very sweet and likes to make people laugh. He is very verbal. He is typically loud and rambunctious. He can be fiercely independent, so much that he will refuse any help even if he is so frustrated that he is screaming and crying. He gets irritable when he is hungry, tired, or frustrated (for instance, trying to put on his shoes). He sometimes gets irritable when being told what to do (especially by his older sister).

He also tends to get fixated on things. For instance, right now he is fixated on vacuum cleaners, wanting to play with them and carry then around with him several times each day. If I don't want to give him the vacuum, he gets very upset and starts crying 'vacuum, vacuum'. He has even cried out for it in his sleep. And then that is sometimes the first thing he asks for when he wakes up. He will ask for the vacuum cleaner at other people's houses too.

He also always wants to know where I (his mom) is. He doesn't get upset and cry, but he will wander the house saying 'momma, where are you?' I do not work outside the home, and he is rarely away from me.

8. What foods does he/she crave or hate? What drinks does he/she crave or hate? Is he/she sensitive to anything he/she eats or drinks?
He is generally not a picky eater. He requests tart foods frequently, such as pickles, sauerkraut, and oranges. He also requests prunes frequently. He sometimes craves bananas, and sometimes refuses them. He seems to dislike potatoes. He used to drink lots of raw milk kefir (which is a tart, cultured milk beverage), but more recently he only seems to want to drink water, lemon water, kombucha, and breastmilk.

9. How does the weather or season affect him/her?
I haven't noticed any particular trends with regard to weather or seasons.

10. How have all his/her milestones gone? Does he/she have any issue with speaking, learning, walking, climbing etc
Walking at 12 months, first teeth at 10 months, first words at 11 months. He runs well now, and is very verbal. Doesn't seem to have any learning problems.

11. How is he/she with socializing with others?
He is quiet with strangers (adults), but likes to socialize with people he knows well. He will also play with unknown kids at the park (although he does not usually initiate the interaction).

12. What is his/her bowel habit like? Any problems? Any odours, strange colours or stool shapes?
When he was an infant and exclusively breastfeeding, he would only have stool once every 5 days or so (but would not strain or struggle with it at all). Now he poops nearly every day. He will get loose stools if I let him eat as many pickles or prunes as he likes, and his stool will be quite firm if he eats an unripe banana (although he still will not strain or have discomfort). His stools do seem to be a bit more smelly than his sister's were, but I couldn't quite put a name to the smell. His urine is sometimes cloudy.

13. Where does he/she sweat? Does it have a smell or does it stain a particular colour?
His feet sweat, the back of his neck sweats, and sometimes his head sweats (usually just if he is sleeping with his head in contact with my arm). His sweat doesn't seem particularly smelly or colored.

14. History of illnesses in his/her life?
He has had two stomach flus and a few colds. His immune system seems to work well as he doesn't typically get as sick as his older sister. I don't recall him ever having a fever, and for sure he has never had a high fever.

15. Has he/she reacted to any vaccines or medical drugs?
No, as he has never had any vaccines or medical drugs.

16. Problems with sleep? Position he/she sleeps in? Nightmares or any dreams he/she talks about?
See above. Will sleep in any position, but seems to sleep best on his stomach. Sometimes he whines in his sleep or yells 'No'.

17. How is he/she with animals?
He loves animals and is very excited by them (we don't have any pets).

18. How is he/she with adults or strangers?
He is fine with adults that he trusts, such as Grandma and family friends. He doesn't talk to adult strangers.

19. What is the family history of illness and disease?
My husband has chronic sinus problems, eczema, and sleep problems (lying awake for a few hours in the middle of the night). His family has a history of heart problems and some c ancer (lymphoma, breast c ancer).

I tend to be restless (mentally and physically), have some sleep problems (maybe just from being awakened so often during the night for the last few years), heartburn, and irritability. My family has a history of alcoholism, abuse, and c ancer (lung).

20. What was the pregnancy like? Any odd symptoms or feelings that disappeared once he/she was born?
The pregnancy was generally good. I did have some glucose in my urine repeatedly, but did fine on the blood glucose tests. At around the 4th month of pregnancy, I developed irritability (which I never had previously) and started to lose my temper more frequently (which was a rare occurrence previously). This irritability has persisted to the present. The birth was very rapid and relatively easy.
[message edited by Sarah3NN on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:23:36 GMT]
[message edited by Sarah3NN on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:25:46 GMT]
[message edited by Sarah3NN on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:30:22 GMT]
[message edited by Sarah3NN on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:59:41 GMT]
[message edited by Sarah3NN on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:11:12 GMT]
 
Sarah3NN last decade
Brisbane Homoeopath, just so you know, I edited the response above to add that my son sweats on the back of his neck (as I forgot to mention that the first time around).
 
Sarah3NN last decade
Ok the remedy I would like you to start with is Antimonium crudum (Ant-c) 200c. Buy it either as granules, pillules, or in liquid form (not in tablet form).

I will give you instructions for preparing and applying the dose.

INSTRUCTONS FOR SPLIT DOSING

Firstly, you need to create a separate dosing bottle. Get a bottle with a dropper, 15-30mls in size, and fill it with a mixture of water and alcohol (5 parts to 1 part). Dissolve 2 granules or 2 drops of the medicine you bought from the pharmacy into this mixture. Your doses will be made from this bottle.

Hit the bottle firmly against the palm of your hand, or another elastic surface like a book. It should be a firm hit not a tap. 2 hits is enough to begin with, and should not be increased unless it is clear that it is needed. The water in this bottle will 'remember' the number of times you have hit it, so that subsequent doses will be stronger (necessary to overcoming the resistance of your disease).

Place 1 drop into an amount of water - start with 1/2 cup. Stir thoroughly and put 1 teaspoon into the mouth. Throw the rest of the cup away. Wash this cup and spoon in hot water, not detergent, and keep them aside to use for further doses.

This is one dose. Repeat doses would be started from the 2 hits on the bottle.

Each step of this process can be adjusted to reduced aggravation or to increase the effect of the medicine. In order to be able to do this, it is important to measure each step (count the hits, the drops, measure the water etc).

You only want to give him one dose to begin with.
 
brisbanehomoeopath last decade
Thank you so much! I will order the ant-c right away (nowhere to buy it here) and will let you know when we give him the first dose.
 
Sarah3NN last decade
I just received the remedy. Will create the dosing bottle now and give him one dose.
 
Sarah3NN last decade
Okay, here are my observations from the first night after the dose:
He slept very poorly. He woke more often than normal, moved around and talked/whined more than usual. He also sat up in bed twice (this is unusual).

I am assuming this is actually good as you might want to see some aggravation before improvement?
[message edited by Sarah3NN on Sun, 05 Feb 2012 13:48:00 GMT]
 
Sarah3NN last decade
Logging in to observe progress.
 
Joe De Livera last decade
That is correct. You would expect to see a mild worsening of the symptoms before you see improvement, so it is promising.
 
brisbanehomoeopath last decade
Here is an update:
Night 1: He slept very poorly. He woke more often than normal, moved around and talked/whined more than usual. He also sat up in bed twice (this is unusual).

Night 2: He went to sleep easier than usual, and then he slept more like his 'usual'. Waking every 1-2 hours, flailing around, talking/whining. Did once wake up crying loudly (this is unusual).

Hard to tell if there was any difference yet in his daytime behavior.

Will update again tomorrow.
 
Sarah3NN last decade
Night 3: He slept poorly again. Not quite as bad as night 1, but definitely worse than night 2. Lots of moving around, talking, turning around so that he is kicking me in the head :(

He's also been talking the last couple nights where he expects a response. One night he said 'Thank you' repeatedly until I responded 'You're welcome'. This night, he said, 'sorry' until I said 'it's okay'. This is not something he has done before. There was also some more waking up with loud crying on night 3, which is unusual.

One other thing to mention: in the weeks leading up, he had been progressing to having a dry diaper in the morning. He was dry for at least 5 days prior to taking the ant-c. These last three nights, he has been wet once again.

He definitely was showing signs of teething yesterday, though (hands in the mouth, fretfulness, less appetite, and lots of nursing).

What do you think?
 
Sarah3NN last decade
He is still aggravating from the sound of it. Aggravation usually lasts about 3-7 days, depending on a number of factors.

Teething can upset things though. It is often necessary to give a seperate remedy for that, although the symptoms still need to guide.
 
brisbanehomoeopath last decade
Thank you for the reply. I had no idea that aggravations could last so long. We'll just stay the course, and I will avoid giving him anything for teething (besides his favorite soother, which is just nursing more anyway). I'll keep you posted.
 
Sarah3NN last decade
Night 4: still woke frequently (every 1-2 hours just like normal), but he was not talking and flailing around!! That means I actually got to sleep a bit :)

I'll update again tomorrow.
 
Sarah3NN last decade
Night 5: Back to flailing around, talking/whining, sitting up in bed, etc. Still waking very frequently.

I guess we're still aggravating. Will update again tomorrow.
 
Sarah3NN last decade
5 days is a very long time for an infant.

Are you sure he is worse and not just the same?
 
brisbanehomoeopath last decade
He is not waking up more often than normal; still about every 1-2 hours. And the talking/flailing was definitely going on before.

I'd say the only real difference I could tell is that he was sitting up in bed a few times when he woke up (and previously he didn't do that). But maybe that's not even related.
 
Sarah3NN last decade
It's not enough. An aggravation is much more marked. This doesn't actually sound like the remedy is doing anything.

Let me look over the case again.
 
brisbanehomoeopath last decade

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