Post Hospital Nightmares? (Toddlers)

[gmail]

I figured that since this board was so active, there was a chance someone on here has gone through this...

DS (19 months) was recently hospitalized for a week due to a badly infected knee joint that turned out to be MRSA. He needed surgery, drains, IVs, meds, blood draws twice a day...etc. Basically, a toddlers nightmare. While in the hospital, he was woken up multiple times a night so they could check his vitals, and he always woke up fighting. He also had some pretty bad procedures where they had to hold him down to put in IVs or take blood b/c he has horrible veins. Anyways.

We are home, he's on the mend slowly. But...he still wakes up anywhere from 1-5 times a night, crying out "NO NO NO MOMMY DADDY DADDY DADDY MOMMY NO NO NO" - totally inconsolable. It's fucking heart breaking. We've been home 6 days. Do I just need to let this ride out? Does it go away eventually? We give snuggles, pacifier, loveys galore. We're exhausted, emotionally drained and fighting a LOT.

Any one go through something like this? A traumatized toddler from some scary experience?

[Deleted]

I have not been through that but I wanted to say that I am so sorry for your family.

That sounds hard as hell.

[revolution]

I haven't been through it, but if you have a follow up appointment soon, I would ask the doctor about it. If you don't I would honestly put a call into the pedi about it.

GOod luck.

[anlo]

Not at all in the same ballpark, but my son was in the hospital one night for testing. When we got home it took him a good week to finally sleep peacefully, and even now two weeks later he's still very clingy to me. Good luck, I hope this passes quickly for you all and you can get some rest.

[Deleted]

poor little fella

are they specific nightmares that you could try to address? my kid was having nightmares about bugs, so i started spraying her room with my "special no bug spray" (air freshener) every night. that worked in just a couple days.

if it's just generally being upset, i'll bet what you're already doing will work over time. he's been through so much!

[gmail]

Yeah, he's INCREDIBLY clingy. Doesn't help that he still can't walk...

Ugh, I just hate that I can't do anything to make it better, KWIM? SInce he's always crying for DH, someone suggested putting one of his undershirts in the crib, so if he half wakes up, he could smell Daddy.

[Deleted]

Jul 10, 2012 12:25:05 GMT -5 gmail said:

Yeah, he's INCREDIBLY clingy. Doesn't help that he still can't walk...

Ugh, I just hate that I can't do anything to make it better, KWIM? SInce he's always crying for DH, someone suggested putting one of his undershirts in the crib, so if he half wakes up, he could smell Daddy.

I would give anything a shot!

[ThirdandLong]

This is so sad. Could you consider co-sleeping just for a little while? Til the trauma lessens.

[emjacobs]

I don't have children but my niece had to go through something very similar to this at 22 mo and had nightmares about the hospital for a while. My brother took her to the vet hospital in our area to show her that the pretty ponies and cuddly puppies had to get worked on too and let her visit with one of the horses that was sedated from surgery.

Not sure how it helped but I think seeing that some of her favorite animals got worked on and got IV's just like her helped her to make it all ok.