Raising a Baby Insomniac

Posted by Abby Deliz Nov 11, 2008

My stepsons stagger out of their bedroom in the middle of the night, asking, "Can't you make him stop crying?"

My husband and I banter argumentatively with each other - "It's your turn to get him, " "No, I got him last." In the morning, no one says two words to each other.

This is what it's like living with a toddler with insomnia.

That's what my 22-month old son has been diagnosed with after a long road of physical inquiry. We've had him repeatedly assessed because at night, he often cries every hour, and screams if he gets put down. If you're lucky enough to get him to fall back asleep, he'll pop up again before you've started dreaming.

As a newborn, he had GERD, or gastroesophageal reflux disease. He never spit up, he had "silent reflux" which caused him a great deal of pain when he laid down to sleep. At 15 months, however, he had a PH probe (a catheder inserted through his nose down to his esophagus to monitor how often acid crept up) which clearly stated that reflux was no longer an issue.

At 17 months he had tubes put in his ears due to frequent ear infections caused by the GERD. This didn't do anything for his sleep.

At 21 months he simultaneously went through tonsil and adenoid removal surgery and an MRI. The tonsils and adenoids were removed because he was diagnosed with sleep apnea, which caused breathing interference and sleep disturbance. The MRI was to make sure he had no neurological problems. It came back clear. At this point, I have severe mother guilt over making him into a guinea pig.

The funny thing is, he's always been such a smart, happy, bright little person. During the day he's a total gem. I call him Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. He's curious, active, speaks well, reads obsessively, and giggles helplessly. He struts around the house holding onto the cat's tail with a car in the other hand. He's truly special in so many ways. He just doesn't sleep.

I've learned to embrace that. I read somewhere that many geniuses had severe insomnia. Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill, Thomas Edison, Abraham Lincoln and Benjamin Franklin, to name a few.

I've also begun to let my son cry it out. I've hated that controversial method since before he was born. I always said, "Oh no, not me, not my kid. I'll never let him wail all alone in a room, feeling abandoned and afraid." But I am. Because we're desperate, tired and frankly, I've got no more to give. So for the past week, the little turkey has cried each night for 4-5 hours at a time. Only last night did we get some respite. He only cried for an hour. Soon I might try giving him a vitamin D supplement.

I'm lifting my cyberglass: Here's to an even better night tonight. I just may be sane by the weekend.