I am exhausted over my 7yr old daughter's sleeping (or lack of it)

[siskin1]

I am really looking for some sort of medical or specialist help now. This has been going on for years and I have done EVERYTHING possible to get my daughter to sleep. She has trouble getting off to sleep and most nights she doesn't finally settle until about 11pm - and then she is up at 6.30. She has just recently started (which she never used to) waking every night in the early hours too so not only is she not getting many hours, it is also broken sleep.


She gets up several times between bed time and when she finally drops off - thus I don't ever get any time to myself in the evening. She interrupts my dinner, talking on the phone, watching a programme, working etc

I have seen the Dr and the HV and both were pretty unhelpful and just said 'you're doing everything right and have tried all you can, your daughter just doesn't need much sleep'. BUT SHE DOES - she is utterly exhausted, she has red rings under her eyes, she gets poorly, miserable, rude and quite frankly, not nice to be around at times which is really upsetting as she is such a lovely girl. I don't know what else to do. . .

Just to add I also have a 6yrold a 4yrold and a 1yrold!

[OhCarrieMathison]

I would go back to your GP again And again until they listen. She may need to be prescribed something to help with her sleep hormones kicking in (melatonin helps)
Where in the country are you ?
In Scotland we have sleep Scotland where families can self refer and get advice from a sleep expert. There is probably the equivalent elsewhere.
Lack of sleep sucks.