Not eating and screaming through the night?

Question

my daughter is 16 months and for a while now shes been crying in her sleep, and its a cry of something is wrong, im sure its nightmars but its been going on every night for a few weeks, also shes hardly eating, at first i thought it was the heat, but now shes just not eating, im lucky if i can get a meal in her and a few snacks here and there, shes not acting like shes deprived or anything, shes healthy, and running around, no lack of energy, and i know when shes hungry she will eat but it still concerns me, i dont know if i should call her doctor or is all this just a normal phase? any help be grealt appreaciated thanks.

Answer 1

It is very normal. When my son was that age, I would chase him around trying to feed him his meals. Now with my daughter I realize its not worth the fight. They will eat when they are hungry.

Crying in the night, my daughter does it all the time. I wait 5-10 minutes, and if she is still crying then I check on her. Usually she settles down before I have to check on her. If You check on your child right away, then they don't learn how to settle themselves down on their own.

Answer 2

She might still be teething.

Answer 3

It might be her cutting teeth...?  My daughter is going through that right now and has been waking up for three nights in a row crying.  That's not her normally.  She has a huge molar pushing through the back and I'm sure that's the problem.  When she wakes up, she is fussy here and there, but mostly herself.  

Two weeks is a bit long, but if she doesn't have a fever and she isn't loosing a bunch of weight, I don't see a reason to take her to the doctor.  You're the only one who can make that call since you are around her.

Answer 4

Kids have spells that they just don't eat much, this is normal. As for the crying/screaming at night, it could be nightmares or it could be some growing pains.  As long as she's acting fine like you say she is during the day, I wouldn't worry about it.  However, you can always bring it up at her next doctor appointment if you're still concerned.

Answer 5

She does sound like she is teething.  Pain and not wanting to eat...sounds like teething to me.

Answer 6

could be a few different things.  

one: teething.  she could be cutting her molars.

two: check for an ear infection.  layin down usually causes it to hurt more.

three:  gas. or stomach irritability  

four: night frights.  these are much more intense than a nightmare. A child at this age cannot tell the difference between dream and reality.

five: growing pains?  does she curl up and stretch her legs out alot?  

have you put her in daycare recently?  any new big change? like a move? new job? new babysitter?  new pet?  

as for the food part, most kids go through a phase of not eating much.  just make sure when they do eat, it's healthy.  and that fluids are at a normal intake.  good luck

Answer 7

My daughter had eating tantrums. In the end, I left a plate in her reach with sandwiches, bits of fruit and cut up veg on it. I didn't tell her when to eat and stopped making an issue of meals. I started to calm down and she began to realise she'd have to find another way to fight for power! Took a week or so, then she wanted to go back to having meals with mammy!

Answer 8

ask a doctor i would be worrired also but the screaming thats either nightmares or discomfort, good luck