[mountaineermom]

I got an emergency placement over the weekend of an adorable 15 month old little girl. She grinds her teeth constantly. She sleeps with her eyes open and talks in her sleep all night long. She absolutely hates taking a bath, she pitches a fit and screams at the top of her lungs the entire time. I feel so bad for her I know she is uncomfortable, she has ringworm on her legs and face, a yeast infection, ear infection, and just had her ears peirced a week ago.
Is grinding her teeth due to stress?
I just dont know what to do with her, I feel so bad.

[mommytoEli]

one of my kids went through a period when they were grinding their teeth- about that age. i just can't remember who it was. lol. i do remember it was only a few months, and then they stopped. i honestly think they just liked having new teeth. lol.

i bet the sleeping issues will even out. make her room comfy, establish a bed time routine, an d be sure to mention the issues to her doctor so they can keep tabs on her.

good luck....i hope she feels comfortable soon!

[dachshunds4you]

Grinding teeth is pretty age appropriate. I kept reminding my AD to stop doing that, she's going to 'break' her teeth. She eventually grew out of it.

For bath, she's probably never had a regular routine of having a bath. Or some kids were pretty tormented while having a bath...being held under water, water thrown on their faces. She'll get used to it as well. Make it as fun as you can. Get some cool washable paint made for the bath and some fun toys. She'll get better, and soon she'll cry when she's done.

Give her some time and she'll do much better.

[mom2fabtwins]

We are at 19 months and the grinding just stopped (fingers crossed) I think it has something to do with molars and it feels cool. Maybe it is god's way of making the teeth less lethal (biting comes next).

The fit at bath time is also typical for this age. My boys have been bathed everyother day for 19 months. The last month, one of them has decided that he hates water....nothing tramatic happened. Just doesn't want a bath.

Stress is probably not helping. The ear, ringworm and yeast infection are putting MAJOR stress on her system, add to that a new home with total strangers and I would start grinfing my teeth too!

I agree with PP. Get a routine started and plan for plenty of sleep opportunity. (we go to bed at 7, get up at 6 and take a +2 hour nap) Maybe some calming music and a lotion following the bath just might help her relax. Good Luck and Congrats.

[OakShannon]

Poor baby. Given all of the physical discomfort she must be feeling from the infections and the stress she's experiencing, I'm also wondering if maybe you can give her sponge baths for a couple of weeks? Just to avoid that particular stress until she's feeling more comfortable and used to her new surroundings.

[mountaineermom]

I thought about sponge baths, but Im supposed to be washing her legs with an antifugal soap and rinse it really well. I dont think a sponge bath would work...

[mnmomma]

I've been grinding my teeth for many years, and I've had medical drs & dentists come up with all kinds of theories as to why. A lot of grinding can be related to the teeth developing their "bite" - that is how our teeth fit together so well from top-to-bottom. So, it's a common phase developmentally.

FWIW, my grinding usually gets worse when I have ear infections. I'm not sure why, but hopefully it gets better as the ear does. :-)

[arbuckle17]

One of ours sleeps with his eyes open, and both of then hated getting cleaned.

To work through the bath, let her play in the tub for long spans between cleaning sections of her. Get some toys and just let her soak for a bit. There are actually some bubble baths that have cleaning propperties as well.

After the bath also be sure to put some baby lotion on her, that should help with some of her skin problems (we live in a very dry state so if we skip this step the kiddos dry out like jerky).

We found that the kiddos get better with sleeping as time goes on and trust builds. The eyes open will probably get better as she gets used to your home.

They said it would take around 2 weeks but our boys took a good month to settle in, and we are just getting to the point where our oldest will let me lay him back to wet his hair in the tub. So hang in there, it will get better.

[mom.mama.mommy]

Our youngest son grinds his teeth, he's got 8 now in. A little younger than your baby, but it does drive me CRAZY!!!

[arubagirl]

Originally Posted by mountaineermom

I thought about sponge baths, but Im supposed to be washing her legs with an antifugal soap and rinse it really well. I dont think a sponge bath would work...

Maybe have her sit on the side of the kitchen sink so you can do her legs, perhaps sitting in the soap bothers her yeast infection?

[arkansas parent]

I was thinking about starting a thread about teeth grinding. Baby A starting doing it about a week ago. I HATE the sound it makes. I just know he is going to break a tooth.

[parenting-over-40]

Originally Posted by arubagirl

Maybe have her sit on the side of the kitchen sink so you can do her legs, perhaps sitting in the soap bothers her yeast infection?

Wow! Great advice! I didn't even think of that one. Good to know if one of mine ever have that problem.

As for the grinding of the teeth, I have a toddler who does that off and on. For the life of me can't tell you why they do it.

I do think as one poster mentioned that once she feels more comfortable and that trust builds (a few weeks, a month, maybe a little longer), she will sleep better. Mine still makes noises from time to time at night but I finally realized that is just the way she sleeps.

One comment on washing the hair, since she is prone to ear infections, use a wash cloth to rinse her hair instead of a cup of water. For some reason that seems to help them from getting more ear infections.

I hope she feels better soon. Blessings to you and your fd.

[meshsgrl]

My fd was petrified of baths.
so we used lots of bubbles... lots of fun and playing with bath time! I allowed her to watch from the door as my other daughter played happily in the bathtub...took me about 2 weeks to get her in the tub. Now she loves it. I know someone suggested to me, that I let them play in a kiddie pool. It didn't work for me but does for some kids.

My other daughter would sleep with her eyes open! REALLY FREAKY!! both daughters would talk in their sleep. If you believe in God, praying over their fears and against strong holds from their past is very powerful. I think the reason she would sleep with her eyes open was a protection. I really don't think she ever went into a deep comfortable sleep. She does sleeps with her eyes shut now and sleeps much better.

[Whakamole]

Any chance you have tried a shower attachment? For some reason my daughter never liked baths but she just loves LOVES the shower. She started out sitting on a non skid bath mat and holding the showerhead herself around 18 months. I had the bath soap/fingerpaint and she loved smearing it on the walls and washing it off. She was a little older when this started and it was not a trauma induces aversion but you might want to give it a try.

[KarynB]

Or what about setting up a baby wading pool in a room in your house so it is fun and she can get in and out? Not sure if that would work in your house at all, but just a thought!