Any advice for dealing w/a bedroom or new sleep phobia?

[Guest guest]

My grandson suddenly appears to have sleep phobias. Two recent events appear to

have triggered this behavior. The first occurred following a 2-week-long visit

away from home, while in our care. After coughing incessantly one night, my

husband and I held down our sleeping 4-year-old grandson, waking him, and

successfully force-feeding him medicine, while he kicked, cried and spat, until

he cried himself to sleep. The medicine worked as we & #699;d hoped, but, we were

all traumatized by the incident. The next morning, and for the next 3 nights,

our grandson refused to sleep in the bedroom. He seemed his happy self,

unafraid of the bedroom during the days, but, at night, he insisted one of us

remain in the living room with him to sleep.

Last night, he and his brother returned home with their parents. My daughter

told us they had a rough night with him. He refused to sleep in his bed and

dragged his mother into the living room where she had to hold and rock him to

sleep on the living room floor.

We suspect the force-fed medicine experience traumatized our grandson, and his

routine-change, of spending two weeks away from home with us were also

contributing factors. (Note: He and his brother spent three weeks with us two

months ago, without incident.)

Has anyone had similar sleep phobia experiences with their child and have any

useful advice to share? Our grandson does not speak so we can only speculate on

what is upsetting him and attempt to relieve his fears by providing him

comforting words and lots of reassuring hugs, and kisses.

Thanks in advance.

A loving gramma