at my whit's end

Justin has always slept through the night very well ever since he started daycare at 6 weeks old. Sure, there's been times here and there that he's woken up (ear infections, teething), but generally, a good sleeper. Well for about the past month or so, he's been waking up in the middle of the night and I have no explanation of it. He's also had mommy-itis and it's getting worse. Now, the waking in the night has progressed from crying to ear-piercing screams. All the while saying "I want mommy". Usually I pick him up and hold him for a few mins and then lay him back down, to which he still cries, but usually falls back asleep after 5-10 mins.

Last night, I decided to skip the holding him part and just let him cry him self back to sleep. But the screaming just got louder and became more like "shrieking". So, I go in to his room, tell him to lie down while mommy sits by his bed. He laid back down, but he just laid there. he wouldn't drift off to slip, he'd just lay there quietly. So, I grabbed one of his blankets and a stuffed animal (to use as a pillow) and also "laid down" on the floor. An hour and a half later, I woke up and was sure he was asleep, so I get up to go back to my own bed. Well, he immediately starts crying. I comfort him and tell him to go back to sleep and that mommy is going to go nite-nite in her own bed. I laid back down in my bed and he is still screaming. So I go back in his room, and he's sitting up just boo-hooing. I go grab my pillow and a real blanket and laid down on his floor. He was fine. I fell asleep for about an hour. This time, he's really asleep, so I get up and go lay in bed.

I'm not in bed 10 mins when he starts shrieking again!!!! You have got to be kidding me. Why can't he sleep on his own anymore?? I take my pillow back in there and lay on the floor. I spent the rest of the night in there. Slept like crap!! I finally get up at 6:30 to use the bathroom and to get ready for work. Well guess who wakes up like 2 mins later and starts crying b/c mommy is out of sight??? He doesn't even want me to take a shower. He didn't want daddy to hold him while I took a shower or got him a juice cup or anything. So we head into the kitchen to get a cup. I set him down and take 2 steps to go to the fridge, and he starts crying and following me!! Come on! I manage to get him a cup. I take him back into the bedroom and turn on the Disney Channel to hopefully occupy him while I take a shower. He soon got over it, but he still didn't like it if I was out of his sight.

I don't think he's sick, I don't think he's having night terrors (after doing a little research, I discovered that kids are usually "asleep" during night terrors and he most definitely was awake.), I'm not sure of whether or not he's having nightmares or what. He has talked about a "car getting him" over the past couple of weeks. Oh, and when he cries a lot like that in the night he coughs to the point where it sounds like he's gagging and that scares the crap out of me. And I don't know if it's drool or sweat, but when he has these fits, he wakes up with this smell about him. Since he's had ear problems in the past, I checked last night after bathtime to see if it was his ears, and I don't think it is. So I think it's all the drool and/or sweat that gets worked up and out of him during these fits in the middle of the night.

Anyone have any ideas?? I don't know what to do anymore. I just hate it that he has such severe mommy-itis and that he doesn't sleep well anymore. I think I'm going to call the doctor's office this morning to see if I can talk to someone and get a professional's opinion. I'm at my whit's end here....