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Expert Q&A
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| By Betsy Buckley Adoption Expert Author | ||
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My husband and I adopted our daughter from China three years ago. At the time, she was 18 months old. She has had trouble sleeping through the night for the majority of our time together, though at first it was just a few whimpers and then she would go back to sleep when I was in the room.
For the past few months, the situation has escalated. She wakes drenched in sweat and screams like she is in pain. When I go to her side, she doesn't seem to be aware that I am there. After I hold her for a few minutes, she stops the screaming and falls back asleep, but her little body continues the deep heaving.
A friend says it sounds like night terrors. My daughter has no recollection of these events upon waking. We will be discussing this with her pediatrician, but my husband and I can't stop the nagging feelings inside that she is reliving some horrible experience from her babyhood that we were not there to prevent. She has not had any counseling so to speak. Should we research that? Do you think these dreams are a normal part of childhood or a byproduct of the adoption? Any information you could give would be helpful."
I am sorry to hear about your daughter's sleeping situation. Our son, Michael, adopted from Guatemala at 11 months, continues to have sleep issues and he is 9. The good news is there is hope and help. I would certainly encourage you to seek out your pediatrician's recommendation and consider consulting a sleep specialist and perhaps a good child psychologist. That's what we did. Though our son didn't sweat, he was fearful at night. Currently, he is taking an approved prescribed medicine with success on a nightly basis, though medicine is only one possible treatment.
There is a disorder which may or may not be affecting your daughter which is called reactive attachment disorder, characterized by a whole host of symptoms, one of which can be sleep issues. The sooner you seek professional help, the sooner your family can get some rest and peace of mind. This does not sound like a normal childhood situation where I would suggest waiting to see if she outgrows it."
Related Expert Q&A
- I have a toddler who is 15 months old, adopted at 12 months. She has woken a few times early from her nap with symptoms that resemble night terrors. Please advise.
- I am finding it difficult to bond with my newly-adopted child. Is this normal?
- Do you think my daughters bad dreams are a normal part of childhood or a byproduct of the adoption?
- What psychological effects does a closed adoption have on the adoptee?
More Answers by this Expert
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- Do you think my daughters bad dreams are a normal part of childhood or a byproduct of the adoption?
- When should I tell my niece that I adopted at birth that she's adopted?