Sleep disorder or something else?

[tashyluv]

My daughter (3 and a half) since the age of 9 months has slept all night a handful of times.  I thought it was an attachment thing as we previously co-slept so I have just disregarded the thought that it could be a sleep problem.

She wakes at least 2 times a night, not for long, maybe for the loo also.

She has always been a snorer, not every night but everyone goes on about how loud she can snore.

She has started nursery now and we are finding it hard as she needs a nap during the day, even when she wakes from a nap she is really grumpy, she has always been this way. Ive been letting her nap about 4pm after nursery.  it doesn't effect her night time sleep, she wakes anyway.  She really only needs the one nap but she can fall asleep during tea, while drawing, on occassions her eyes have closed while standing up and I have had to lift her up in fear that she will fall

The thing that has worried me recently is that she has started twitching, mainly when tired and just as she is falling asleep. Her mouth/cheek twitches followed by a little head shake.  She has been twitching for about 3/4 weeks now and I have been keeping a close eye on it.  I am making an appointment with the doctors tommorrow.  When she fell asleep today, she did 3 sets of twitches in a row with about 15 seconds in between, her arm and fingers twicthed at one point too.  I am very worried now, I have researched many things, sleep apnea, narcolepsy, the list goes on.

Any help or advice would be appreciated.

[tashyluv]

Went to the doctors yesterday they look at the videos and are referring my daughter to the pediatrician and she will possibly have an eeg.

[tashyluv]

Just wanted to update this thread. I took my daughter to the doctors,she was less concerned about the sleep,but she was more interested in the twitching...I think its more than a twitch, it lasts longer.  Also she does it during the day morning, noon and night. I took a video of her twitching and I am going to try and get an appointment tommorrow.

I have been looking at absence seizures and there are definitley some similarities.

The other day we were at the table eating dinner and she was chatting away.  Then she suddenly stops talking,did her head shake thing for about 5 seconds, then she realised something had happened and wanted a cosy.  

Hopefully tommorrow I get an appointment,as they were full today.

This is it here

A petit mal seizure is the term commonly given to a staring spell, most commonly called an "absence seizure." It is a brief (usually less than 15 seconds) disturbance of brain function due to abnormal electrical activity in the brain.

[M1ssy]

Did you take your daughter to the dr yet, I'm curious to know what they said. I have narcolepsy with cataplexy and have those same symptoms.

Best wishes
Missy

[mom2ariana]

Let me know how it goes!

[tashyluv]

Yeah, its so hard to determine whether its something or nothing, people twitch when there sleepy and its not uncommon to wake in the night, snore etc.  Im just putting 2+2 together.

I am going to the doctors tommorrow just for peace of mind , thanks for you help.

[mom2ariana]

1) I think the twitching is rather normal. My husband jerks and twitches as he is falling asleep, and sometimes it scares me when it happens

2) The falling asleep standing up is ONLY normal if there are circumstances to explain it. For example, my daughter recently nodded off in her highchair (she is 3) ... but I knew why. She was overdue for her nap. If there's an explanation, I wouldn't worry. If there isn't, then yes that is unusual.

3) Snoring is normal to an extent, but loud snoring to the point that others comment on it? That would concern me. I think that 3 year olds having a sleeping disorder is pretty uncommon though, but definitely take her to the doctor.