Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Original poster

Would you ever give medised to aid sleep?

42 replies

BananaSkin · 09/09/2008 17:27

DS1 goes back to school tomorrow. His sleep has been poor recently and he has not been dropping off until 10ish and I know he has been a bit worried about going back to school. He didn't have a brilliant year last year as he had a few problems with existing friends and his self esteem suffered.

I know he will lie awake until at least ten, as that is what he does if he is worried. I am tempted to give him 10ml of medised before bed just to give him a decent night and get him off to a good start with new teacher/new children in the class (they have been mixed up)/ first year in juniors.

This would be a one off and I know he needs to learn to sleep through problematic times, but I am so tempted. What would you do?

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 09/09/2008 17:46

i've had insomnia since i was about 13.

i do keep prescription sedatives to hand now i'm adult, but i don't usually use those until things have gotten really bad, and then just to break the cycle - takes just a couple of nights usually.

obviously not know i'm pregnant.

but there's all sorts of things to try first that work even if you're a born skeptic like me.

hermykne · 09/09/2008 17:49

lavender pillow/cushion
lavender bath
very calm atmosphere
ready, low lights

and if after 3 nights still not working yes medised, do not have a problem with it. kids need sleep.

you re a sensible mother and aint going to do it continually.

a good nights sleep for him might push him into a longer nights rest.

BitOfFun · 09/09/2008 17:53

`You can buy melatonin liquid or capsules online - I used to before they were prescribed for dd2, who has trouble sleeping due to ASD. From what I understand it is a natural substance that autistic kids and others sometimes don't synthesise well in their brains: it is supposed to give you the hormonal "cue to sleep". Less dodgy than drugs.

Me and DP did spike his ds with it once though after we first got together when he was staying up ridiculously late just to make sure we couldn't sit next to each other on the couch... Not sure that is entirely ethical, but we were desperate at the time!

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Families General parenting
julesrose · 09/09/2008 19:55

I bought it once when DD had chicken pox. We were on holiday and I was having trouble sleeping - so I tried it. Made me feel like crap and decided would never give it to a child.

Cammelia · 09/09/2008 20:06

No

costalepew · 09/09/2008 20:14

You can buy a Rescue Remedy Night Time now. That might help especially if he's anxious
My 2 are away to bed dosed with Medised, but they are loaded with the cold. If it is a one off I would do it too..

kittywise · 09/09/2008 20:15

God yes!!

Olihan · 09/09/2008 20:18

We give it to ds2 when is eczema is really bad and the itching is stopping him sleeping. I don't know whether the antihistamine stops the itching so he can sleep or the sedative effect knocks him out but it does the trick. If he doesn't have it
he can be up for 2 or 3 hours rubbing himself raw on the sheets.

When it comes down to a bleeding, raw skinned baby in the morning or drugging him to sleep every so often, I know which one I prefer.

Olihan · 09/09/2008 20:19

Oops, forgot to add, I'd do it as a one off in your situation too.

deanychip · 09/09/2008 20:20

YES!
i have out of utter utter UTTER desperation i have on more than one occassion.

Also teath were poss a reason for ds not sleeping through the night till he was 4. pain you see.

nowirehangers · 09/09/2008 20:28

I heard the thing in medised that knocks them out has been much reduced and it's very ineffective now
It certainly had no effect on dd2 - didn't use it to knock her out but to help with teething and it was completely ineffectual
am willing to be corrected though

MrsSnorty · 09/09/2008 20:29

I've only ever given DS medised once, he bounced off the proverbial walls for the following three hours!

MrsSnorty · 09/09/2008 20:29

I've only ever given DS medised once, he bounced off the proverbial walls for the following three hours!

Jux · 09/09/2008 20:32

One of the earliest threads I ever saw on Mumsnet (while I was lurking and too scared to post!) was about this very subject. I had never heard of Medised but was getting hysterical about dd's lack of sleep. Lots of people were jumping about shouting 'Medised' in response to a desperate poster. A few were flaming them. I got Medised and haven't looked back (don't do it often btw).

flimflammum · 09/09/2008 20:39

I recently went to buy Medised for DD (9 months) when she had a bad cold and wasn't sleeping, and was told by the pharmacist that the advice has been changed and it should not be given to under-2s because of increased risk of cot death. Has anyone else heard this?

OP: You could try it but I doubt it would have that strong an effect on a 10-yr-old. An antihistamine eg Piriton might work better? Label says 'may cause drowsiness'

Califrau · 09/09/2008 20:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

dashboardconfessionals · 11/09/2008 16:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

New posts on this thread. Refresh page