Maureen,
My daughter Alyssa was a nightime nurser until about 2, but still felt
the need to climb into our bed occasionally in the middle of the night
until she began consistently sleeping alone at about age 4.  Her
nightwaking suddenly increased a year later, and she complained of seeing
spots and being afraid.  Some mornings she woke with headaches, light
sensitivity, and vomiting.  We thought she had migraines, and cuddled her
to sleep in our bed or hers.
        One morning a few months ago, she crawled into our bed as Dave
was leaving for work.  I snuggled up with her and fell asleep again.  I
woke to a strange strangling sound and the realization that she was no
longer near me.  She was on the floor having a seizure.  Her postictal
symptoms were headache, light sensitivity, and vomiting!  Who knows how
long this poor child had been having seizures in her sleep!  We still
might not know that she has epilepsy if she had not been welcome in our
bed, despite her advanced age (6 1/2).  Her only concern about having
epilepsy was wanting to know whether she could still get a job when she
grows up!  I consider her resilience a testimony to the value of meeting
a child's needs, whenever they occur.
--
Catherine Watson Genna, IBCLC  NYC  [log in to unmask]