Insomnia in 7 year old

[emsiewill]

My 7 year old dd has never been a particularly good sleeper. We used to have nightmares with her as a baby/toddler, waking up in the night and not being able to get her back to sleep (there's a thread on here from Christmas 2001 when we were staying at my dad's and were having a miserable time with her - all 4 of us in 1 room!).

Anyway, she still occasionally goes through phases of waking in the night, and not being able to get back to sleep. Often she doesn't disturb us; just reads and manages to drop off. Sometimes (eg last night at 1:30am, having been awake since 11:30 - I know this as she had come down to chat with dh who was still up at that point) she is awake for 2 hours or more, and eventually, through boredom more than anything I think, comes to see us, just to let us know that she can't sleep.

Now, this type of sleep pattern is actually very similar to me, both as a child and as an adult - if I wake up in the night, I find it hard sometimes to get back to sleep (not quite as hard since I've had 2 kids lol). She doesn't seem particularly bothered by it, and although the heat doesn't help, it isn't caused solely by the heat, as she does it all year round.

Does anyone else have a child like this? What do you advise them to do? I can only think of reading, or some sort of 'imagining' game (try and make up a theme park in your head for example). I just never know what to say to her when she comes to me in the small hours, and I have to admit I'm not particularly welcoming...

Does she, and us, just have to come to terms with the fact that this is how she is, and we will have to live with it?

I can't help emsie, but I do empathise. I think you are doing all the right things. Me and DD are both also insomniacs. Does your DD also sleep-walk? That one is a big nuisance, more common in hot weather we find.

I read something about us in the English-speaking world being unusual in having expectations of "monophasic" sleep (all the sleep in one go). Most cultures do at least 2 sleeps a day (afternoon naps), and some cultures expect to have 3 or 4 sleep spells a day, even among adults. Knowing that makes unsual sleep patterns seem a lot less abnormal.

what about a little music in her room on repeat so that it doesnt stop, a constant noise in the background for her to drift off to? works for me.

Thanks for the empathy, flack. No, she doesn't sleepwalk, which is something to be thankful for, I suppose.

Luckily, she isn't the sort of child to be cranky if she hasn't had a lot of sleep - and she seems to have excesses of energy most of the time, happily does ballet, swimming, tennis, rugby, so I don't think it affects her day to day life.

And I seem to survive on 6 hours of sleep most nights, so I suppose she's like me - one of those "Mrs Thatcher" types

Thanks charliecat, I will look out something suitable - she does have a CD player in her room, but her CD collection consists of things like "Kids Dance Party" - don't think that would be ideal at 3am . I'll see if I've got something classical, or 'songs for lovers' type thing.

or rainforest type is shedd have it

Not the running water ones though - could lead to unwanted accidents

Have you heard that funradio station? it's PC / digital based but they play calming music in the evenings apparently, that may help?

You could try a lavender pillow spray or bag, maybe some chamomile oil too,maybe a levender and chamomile bath at bedtime or chamomile tea if she'll take it. And a lettuce sarnie at bedtime, supposed to help. you can also buy a sleep range in boots she might like a sa a treat, pillow spray and bath stuff. even if it soen't work it's still nice.

Hmmm, imagine trying to get her to eat a lettuce sandwich - her face would go and then (of the sick kind!)...but thanks for all the ideas.

The lavender / chamomile stuff sounds good, especially for the times she can't get to sleep when she first goes to bed. And the pillow spray could maybe be used to 'reactivate' during the night if she wakes up. Will investigate Boots tomorrow.

Had a look in Boots today and they have a sleep range in the baby toiletries section that looked nice.

I can only say what I do for myself, story cds have been my saviour when I go through bouts of insomnia. Some of them I've only ever heard the first 5 or 6 lines.

Well, dd paid me 3 visits last night, for 2 of them I was myself wide awake, and suffering from my own insomnia problems, for the 3rd, I was asleep, but she felt the need to wake me up to tell me she was still awake ("you were snoring away mum", "yes, darling, I was wasn't I")

So we went to Boots, and got 2 of their children's "Sleep" products - the bubble bath and room spray (they were on BOGOF). Whether they will actually work, who knows, but if she believes they do, then that's the main thing.

Many thanks to Peachy for letting me know about the sleep range - I'll let you know whether it actually works.