To ask for help with DS (5) sleep

[catgirl1976]

DS is 5.

He has never been a good sleeper. He was 3 before he slept through the night and after that it was sporadic.

He generally sleeps through now but getting him to go to sleep is a nightmare.

He is currently hysterical.

Every night there is a different reason why he can't sleep. (Tonight he wants the cat - the cat has heard the hysterics and run a mile)

It ranges from general messing about and shouting to hysteria and sobbing. He will not go to sleep. He fights bedtime.

We have tried everything - all the usual stuff. No screen time, calming routine, bath, lavender spray, staying with him, controlled crying, white noise, earlier bedtime, later bedtime. you name it we've tried it. And nothing works.

He can go on till gone 11pm. It's exhausting for him and for us.

He wakes between 6:30am and 7am

Bedtime is normally 7pm to 7:30pm

He's active and gets lots of exercise

Some nights he sobs becuase he's tired and wants to go to sleep but can't

He says he can't switch him mind off and he also legs his leg will never stop moving

He's distressed, I'm distressed and we are all exhausted. If you could hear him right now you'd think he was in physical pain. It's horrible

I am at my wits end. If anyone has any advice. I'm even thinking of going to the GP but I think they'd fob me off and not get how bad this is

Any advice at all would be really welcome

He's currently done the full hour of the meditation CD

Then he came downstairs saying he needed a wee (there are 3 bathrooms upstairs - not a stealth boast, whoever developed this house shoved a tiny bathroom in anywhere some useful storage could have gone )

Put him back in bed and he's now looking at his Usborne flap books with a torch. He's not asleep but he's calm

Can you put the cd on repeat? I find the fact that it's the same thing over and over again actually helps me. Experiment with the volume as well, I have to have it just loud enough that I can hear the words but not so loud it keeps me awake, a tricky balance!

Ok well that's progress- definitely put it on repeat!

I think it is too loud

I'll put it on repeat and a bit quieter tomorrow

He's gone to sleep! No tears (which is all I want - for him to get some sleep without getting distressed)

Sympathies op, I have ASD dcs who find it hard to sleep (not in anyway suggesting your DC has this) things that have helped are weighted blankets, blue calming light and rainforest sounds app. Hope you have a peaceful night

Might not be helpful, but both my db and I listened to story tapes/cassettes (or the modern equivalent) in bed if we were having trouble sleeping, initially you listen to the story and hopefully is calming and then after a while we would drift off after a while. Make the room dim, maybe with a night light, and sit with him in bed and listen with him? I think it's less stimulating than reading a book although we still had a proper story too before bed. There are so many to chose from, and usually you can get things for specific ages, e.g. Greek Myths for 8 year olds (a personal favourite!)