Plse help - Sleeping issue for 3 year old

I need help!

My DS1 has suddenly started having nightmares every couple of days. He won't/can't say what they are about but he tells me he is scared. I generally move him into bed with me and then he snuggles for the rest of the night with me pivoting on the edge of the bed as he is so close.

He is also waking up several times a night. When he wakes up, he calls out to me and I have to get up to tell him that it's OK, I'm here. He promptly goes back to sleep with no hassles. He will keep calling for me if I don't go into his room.

I am happy to get up to him if needed but I don't understand why it has suddenly happened. There has been nothing different recently. He hasn't met any new people, watched any scary movies or TV, been left alone etc. He is his usual happy self during the day. Every morning he says he had a good sleep.

The only thing that may have been an issue was there was a younger child targeting him at daycare, biting and scratching him. He has a scar on his cheek from one of the scratches, it was quite deep. The Dr said it will fade in a few months and it won't be visible. Steps were taken to resolve the issue immediately and there has been no more incidents. In fact, the boys now play together occasionally (very well monitored to ensure it remains fun!). The carers were fantastic and really quickly pulled this boy back into line.

Do you think this might have triggered the nightmares or is there something else going on? A developmental stage maybe?

DS1 is a very articulate, happy (normally), social, lovely little boy (geez, can you tell I am biased LOL!). This sleeping behaviour is really out of the ordinary for him as he has always been a fantastic sleeper.

I would like to resolve this quickly as we are moving after Christmas and I am sure that it will be stressful for him, even though we are preparing him for the 'adventure'.

Any tips would be greatfully appreciated!

:help: :bump:

If there is anyone who can help, I am desperate!!

Sorry Courtney, I can't help but just wanted to sympathise. We have had sleep issues forever & they sound the same as the ones you're having at the moment. I have a Dr appointment later in the month hoping to organise a sleep study for my monster.

Hope you an figure it out soon.

Courtney, don't know that I can help except to offer my empathy as we are in exactly the same boat. Darcy has had night terrors for ages now. Similarly she is articulate and bright, generally happy and only ever watches childrens TV if any. We rarely even have the news on.
Sometimes she is screaming so hard you can't even get near her, and sometimes we go in to find her in the wardrobe screaming.
She isn't awake during any of this so maybe that's why your little guy says he's had a good sleep?
Her eyese are open and she responds if you talk to her (not always coherent or appropriate but she can hear us to respond). She still has a dummy so often that and shhhing in her ear are anough to get her to lay down and go to sleep properly again.
Other nights are very restless and she does wake up several times in the first few hours. If you ask her if she's had a bad dream she'll say yes and we tell her it's not real it's ok. Particularly if she's overtired. Again generally settled easily.
Most nights before she goes to sleep I say, "now no calling out tonight thanks" she generally agrees and it doesn't happen. Funnily it's the nights that I don't say it that she has shockers.
We did think about a start chart but it isn't necessary here.

Kim it's like you just described my nights!! Though if she responds to you, it's unlikely to be a night terror, because they are generally unaware that there is even someone in the room.

oh true? there you go. Sometimes she doesn't respond, but we just assumed that was because she was asleep.

I can tell you for sure when I see what my Dr says in a few weeks ;)

Thank you ladies. My experience does not seem as severe now compared to yours. Wow.

Cooper is definitely awake when he calls out as he can hold a conversation (i.e. if my DH tries to help, Cooper demands me; asks for Winnie (his Winnie the Pooh teddy) etc).

Hopefully this is a stage that he will grow out of soon.

Thanks again