Hi all,
I am at my wits end 10 years in with my little girl! She has always had sleep problems from a young age and it is still going on. I did think as she got older that this would improve, but we have new things all the time! Sometimes she sleeps fine but she has a problem switching off at night. She has played up that much that we just let her go to bed at the same time as us, but its like she thinks every night is a weekend, so she will play up if its 9pm or before 10pm, or she will play up if we have had a nice weekend or she hasnt seen us for an evening. When i say play up she will go to bed kisses, and tucking her in, we have to say the same things before we go to bed each night this has happened for years also, and then its lights out. It has got to the point that I have to leave our door open slightly for her, and some nights she will keep coming in to our room to say she cannot sleep. And this will happen until I get into bed with her or we shout at her and tell her off and still then she will play up. This happens most often twice a week but could be more some weeks and then not at all. When talking to her she says her fear is being awake all night and the only one awake all night, which this has never happened before, but we tell her to relax and think of things that she wants for her birthday or count sheep etc. Sometimes she can snack on crips etc at night and possibly my fault this is happening, but gone are the days she will go up to bed without us as she will play up until we go to bed. We are so tired. She has been diagnosed with Dyslexia and thinking this could be causing problems she has severe ocd with her nighttime routine and if she stays out at her nans or aunties has to sleep in bed with them. Its got to the point every family holiday we have had she sleeps in bed with me and my husband or one of us gets in her single bed away and she sleeps with one of us. I am so confused if this is behavious or she has a mental issue I need help! We are thinking of referring her to someone to be seen, as this is ridiculous, she is a great kid but she has issues making friends as she is very reserved like me and her father but she also cannot deal with busy places etc and gets easily overwhelmed, but then excels in gymnastics and performs on stage etc. Any help if someone has been through this would help. We are thinking she could slightly be on the spectrum as this is quite delicate but shouting and punishments don't seem to phase her at all, she just gets upset and then forgets it. I hate who it is making us as we are so fed up with it, and worried how this will ever resolve itself. Any help would be appreciated.