Waking up crying inconsolably

This guide is general information only and isn't a substitute for medical advice. If you're concerned about your child's health, or they're unwell, please see a doctor.

There is a particular kind of night waking that frightens parents: your child wakes screaming, and nothing you do reaches them. Before you try to fix the sleep, it is worth working out what you are actually looking at, because the answer changes what you should do.

First, is it a night terror?

If it happens in the first few hours of the night, your child looks panicked, their heart is racing and they're sweating, and they will not respond to comfort, it may be a night terror. During a night terror children are asleep, so they won't respond when someone tries to comfort them, and they won't remember it in the morning.

If that's what's happening, the advice is counterintuitive: avoid waking your child, keep them safe, and wait quietly for it to pass, usually within 10 to 15 minutes.

Rule out pain and illness

Inconsolable crying can be a sign that something hurts. Check for fever: a fever is a temperature over 38°C, and in a baby aged 0 to 3 months any fever needs immediate medical attention, such as seeing a GP or going to a hospital emergency department.

For vomiting and reflux, Raising Children advises seeing your GP or child and family health nurse if your baby has trouble swallowing, a fever, seems irritable or won't eat, is vomiting a lot, isn't gaining weight or is losing weight, or has a chronic cough or recurrent chest infections. Persistent crying, arching the back, or pulling up the legs is also worth a GP visit. Take your child to an emergency department if there is blood in their vomit or the vomit is green.

If it's neither

Keep a brief record of when the episodes happen, how long they last, and what your child is like afterwards. The timing is particularly useful: early in the night points one way, the small hours point another, and it gives your GP something concrete to work from rather than a description filtered through exhaustion.

• Overtiredness makes distressed waking more likely. Look hard at the timing of naps and bedtime.
• Big developmental phases and separation anxiety can produce genuinely distressed waking.
• A sudden change (new room, new carer, illness recovery, travel) is a common trigger.
• Respond warmly. Comfort at 2am does not undo good sleep habits.

When to get help

See your GP if the episodes are frequent, if they are violent, if they continue over many months, or if they come with snoring or other breathing problems. Trust yourself here: if something about your child's crying feels different or wrong to you, that is reason enough to have them checked.

Sources

• Raising Children Network, Night terrors
• Raising Children Network, Fever in babies and children
• Raising Children Network, Gastro-oesophageal reflux and GORD 0 to 2 years
• Raising Children Network, Crying babies

Last updated: July 2026. Sources include Red Nose Australia and Raising Children Network where cited above. This guide is general information only. For individual concerns, see your GP or child health nurse.