Why Kids Wake Up Crying at Night

Night Crying: What Ontario Parents Need to Know

If your child keeps waking up at night crying, you're probably exhausted and wondering what's wrong. Night waking with crying is incredibly common in babies and toddlers, and while it's tough on everyone, it's usually part of normal development.

What's going on?

Night crying happens for different reasons depending on your child's age. Babies under 6 months often cry because they're hungry, need a diaper change, or haven't learned to self-soothe yet. Their sleep cycles are still developing, and they naturally wake up more often than older children.

Toddlers and preschoolers might wake up crying due to nightmares, night terrors, or big developmental changes like potty training or starting daycare. Sometimes they're processing emotions from their day, or they might be going through a growth spurt that disrupts their usual sleep patterns.

Even older children can have periods of night waking, especially during times of stress, illness, or major life changes like moving or starting school.

What you might notice

- Crying or screaming when waking up at night

- Difficulty settling back to sleep

- Your child seems confused or disoriented when they wake

- Crying happens around the same time each night

- Your child doesn't remember waking up in the morning

- Increased clinginess during the day

What helps at home

Start with the basics: make sure your child isn't hungry, too hot, too cold, or in need of a diaper change. A consistent bedtime routine can work wonders for preventing night waking. Try a warm bath, quiet story time, and keeping the room dark and cool.

For babies, gentle techniques like patting their back or offering a pacifier can help them learn to self-soothe. Avoid picking them up immediately if they're not in distress, as sometimes they settle back down on their own within a few minutes.

If your toddler is having nightmares, comfort them briefly and then encourage them to go back to sleep in their own bed. Night lights can help with fears of the dark, and talking about their dreams during the day can reduce anxiety.

When to worry

Head to the emergency room if your child has night crying along with fever over 38.5°C, difficulty breathing, signs of pain like pulling at their ears, or if they seem unusually sick or lethargic during the day.

Call your doctor or text Arlo if the night crying is new and severe, lasts for more than a few weeks, or if your child seems unwell during the day. Also reach out if you notice signs of sleep disorders like very loud snoring, long pauses in breathing, or if your child is extremely difficult to wake up.

The takeaway

Night crying is one of those challenging phases that most families go through. It doesn't last forever, even though it feels like it will. You're doing a great job navigating this tough time.

You can always text Arlo and talk to a provider in 5 minutes!

References

- [Sleep Problems](https://caringforkids.cps.ca/handouts/health-conditions-and-treatments/sleep_problems) - Caring for Kids

- [Sleep and Your Baby](https://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/article?contentid=645&language=english) - AboutKidsHealth

- [Healthy Sleep for Your Baby and Child](https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/health-promotion/childhood-adolescence/parent/healthy-sleep-your-baby-child.html) - Government of Canada