Sleep problems

[Caroline5]

Sorry to divert from the DS thread...

Dd2 (now 2) is turning into a terrible sleeper. She wakes up at the slightest noise and then refuses to go back to sleep unless she is in our bed. Last night she was awake from 11pm to 3am, thrashing about the bed and fidgeting!

Do you think controlled crying is worth even trying? (She has global delay and 'severe learning difficulties' - I'm not sure she would really "get it" or it might take weeks/months, which I couldn't cope with. Plus it seems too harsh when she doesn't understand what's happening. Anyone been in a similar situation?

And she hasn't woken up yet!!!!!! (((((HOLD HER BREATHE)))))

Update-we saw dr ritchie on monday who is ds autistic specialist/paediatrician and she after discussing his sleep probs offered MELATONIN to be prescribed only by her not g.p and dispensed directly from our hospital pharmacy am currently awaiting delivery of said medication which cant come quick enough IYKWIM.thsnk you sll for your advice and will let you know how we get on with the melatonin.

loobie is it the time release melatonin as ds was on ordinary but did not work after awhile.
Time release is much better IMO. coz it works

not sure she said 3mg capsule give him it and put him to bed half an hour later?which one does this sound like? she did say if this doesnt work they can double the dose but if it still doesnt work they will take him off it.

sounds like the time release, ds has 2 a night but I can up the dose if not working, fingers crossed it is working

Hi all - Just interested to know about side affects with these sleeping drugs, that your children take. I know my sisters wee girl (now almost 4yrs old (hasn't been proved) but she unfortunately developed seizures for a while, and after stopping the phenergan - NO more seizures??? Iknow my sister would dearly love to get her daughter into a better sleep pattern - but is terrified to try any more phenergan, or valergan (not sure on the spelling!!) Any suggestions?? She became very hyped up on the Valergan too - so, this made the sleeping problem worst. Thanks for your comments.

Melatonin isn't a drug, its a .............what is it? hormone, can't remember. My understanding is that it helps to get them off to sleep but doesn't keep them asleep but can therefore help change habits. However, this wonderful time release version sounds like it would keep them asleep too. I have never used it as my son is a good sleeper (with bouts of badness now and then) but everyone I know, me included, has a bottle in the cupboard brought over from the USA where you can buy it over the counter, just in case. My paed was willing to prescribe it but we said no and managed the behaviour, urgh, until it improved. Don't know about implcations with seizures so not much help after all that!

Hi bagpipes get your sis to check it out with the doctor, my ds has epilepsy but is still on melatonin. I have no idea, about side effects but if you read furthur down that was the problem we faced. Night after night of ds awake.It was a matter of the benefits outwaying the odds.

Davros i think it is a hormone that regulates the hypothalamus sleeping pattern ie jet lag etc.

LOOBIE--glad you are getting the melatonin!The way to tell if its the time release one is to break open a capsule by squeezing one half- if its a powder-then its what we have...plain old melatonin- if its tiny balls then u have the 'time release' if its the powder we were advised to sprinkle it in the bedtime drink- it is totally tasteless- the reason is so it ALL gets into bloodstream together- if you give the capsule itself its likely that some of the dose passes through the body unasborbed
we are 6 months down the line and our 'normal' stuff still works... however have found i can no longer give it too early- he seems to 'come alive' approx an hour after he starts to yawn so i definitely agree to give it 30-45 mins b4 bed-I CAN'T WAIT TO READ MORE ON HOW YOU GET ON- i still will NEVER fofget the day that we gave it first and ds started yawning!!! i settled the other two boys and went in to turn ds1's light off- and he was absolutely dead to the world---we had a week or so of that total exhaustion then it settlled into him going to bed still looking alert but still falling asleep within 30 mins! (prior to melatonin he was awake past midnight)he also nolonger figets in bed and 'tolerates' being covered with his quilt- he is almost at the point now where he actually enjoys going to bed!!sometimes he even asks!!!

melatonin is a substance produced naturally in the body by the pineal gland which is in the centre of the brain and regulates our sleep/wake pattern.the production of melatonin has something to do with the retina in the eye which is how our bodys know its time to sleep when its dark and why we cant sleep in the summer for the light nights.i love medicine. our paed said that a lot of blind and partially sighted people use melatonin which makes sense and that anyone with any kind of brain abnormally usually has a problem with melatonin production.

well we got our melatonin yesterday and last night was ds's first night on it,i gave him it at hlf past seven ,put him to bed at 8pm,he shares his room with his brother who was still awake when ds1 went to bed at 8,this usually warrants a huge party for hours,but ds1 was asleep by 8.10pm i never heard a peep!!this morning he woke up himself came into my room while i was getting ready,he got himself ready for school,had breakfast,put away his coat and bag by himself at school and got his shoes changed at school again by himself,our usual pattern is no brekkie i dress him put away his coat and change his shoes so BIG IMPROVEMENT so long may it continue.

brilliant news loobie, long may sleepy night continue

I am sooooooo pleased for you and you child. I remember in the first few weeks feeling so 'odd' that he was asleep and unable to focus on any of the things i thought i'd been missing out on! as i said we do get maybe one night a month when things don't quite go to plan and it's a timely reminder of how life used to be- the other night he was soooo tired that he fell asleep without melatonin- he slept like a log till midnight then woke up raring to go! I didn't feel it good to give him melatonin so late so he had to get to sleep unaided- i stayed up till 2 and he was still awake- i went to bed and found it hard to sleep as i worry what he may get up to- he must have settled as i slept too- but he was awake at 5.30- we have tried a few deliberate breaks from it(as suggested) but he never settles easily so we will carry on and hope that they allow families like us to continue even if it is never allowed for sale here again- anyhow i bought som from via EBAY (from the US) for me so at least i can get it somehow!!!! (Oooops! i sound desparate!)

How's it going Loobie??

It is still the same, i give him his melatonin and half an hour later he goes to bed and he goes straight to sleep even if his brother who shares the room is still awake,he had a flu virus all last week and was sleeping through the day so i thought things might have gotten a bit rocky but no i just kept him on his melatonin at 7.30 and bed at 8 even if he had been asleep during the day and we got through it yee ha!i know what you meen about wondering what to do now hat they are sleeping,i keep waiting for him to shout down to me but he's asleep.

I am really pleased!keep in touch!