The dreaded issue of SLEEP.....or rather lack of it....!

[lourobert]

Hello all.

Ive posted about sleep before and I know it is such a common thing for our lo's to have trouble with sleep.....!!

My ds seems to go through periods of having managable sleep and terrible sleep, Ive been getting so anxious about sleep that this has manifested itself in all sorts of ways and I am now on medication to try and help me take control of the anxiety.

Anyway, weve tried all the medications. melatonin made him 1000 times worse so I really dont want to go down that route again. The only thing that makes seem sleep right through is when he has medised and he has this when he has has a cold....if only I could give him that everynight with no side effects!!

Has anyone used sleep clinics? and can those children who have limited gognitive understanding benfit from sleep clinincs or is it more for those tha have some understanding and can follow strategies???

Also has anyone got any stories of this just getting easier with age???? My son is 3 1/2. I dread him being like this forever and I think now one will ever want to be with us and possibly move in in the the future when there is the sleep issue to content with.......

I solved all my sons horrendous sleep problems ( 4 hours per night for two years ) by changing his diet. GFCF and removed apple juice, chocolate and blackcurrant drink.

Probably not relevent but thought I would mention

Hi! Our sleep issues are different but I was reading about Cerebras services (for something else) and wondered if their sleep advisory service could offer siutable support. 08003281159 is the general support line. Not tried it myself.
I too get anxious about lack of sleep (and the need to be on high alert immediatly ds awakes doesn't help) - for both ds and I but it has got better through the years. I think school helps to wear him out!

I think maybe ill ask for a referral to the sleep clinic, cant do any harm. Ive been reading up on night terrors and alot of his behaviour fits them. Its so difficult as ds is my first (and last!) so I dont know whats typical and I often think his severe global delay and the epilepsy (although been sf for a while) is the reason for his restlessness and crying.

Might take a look at cerbra.....thanks for the info magso!

Hi, we've had horrendous sleep problems for years. (2 or 3 nights a week of waking up at about 2 am and then staying awake for the rest of the night)
For us it has been a combination of biomedical interventions: Melatonin, Oxypowder, Adrenal cortex and the biggest (most effective) one chromium. Hope that helps

The magic potion for ds1 has been Valergan Forte (Alimemazine tartrate), without which I would have gone stark raving bonkers a long time ago. It's a bit of an old drug, and possibly not as 'clean' as melatonin, but it works for him. It's an antihystamine but didn't have the affect of phenagern which made him hyperactive.

I first heard about it from another family with a grown up LD daughter. They used it back in the 70's. We went to a paed and asked for it, she gave it to us and now I notice that more children are being prescribed it.

Don't forget, you need the Forte bit or it's a lot weaker.