Teen insomnia

[StarsAndFishes]

My newly 13 year old DD has suspected autism and is on a settled dose of sertraline for anxiety and ocd. She’s in a good place generally now but is waking each night for several hours, she is calm but just can’t settle back to sleep. She has no trouble falling asleep. Any advice welcome!

Setraline can do this as it’s messing with neurotransmitters… you might need to ask for slow release melatonin

We’ve had melatonin but it’s not been effective, the psychiatrist said it was mainly to help you get to sleep, which isn’t the issue and has now prescribed promethazine, not tried it yet though. Has anyone tried it?

Yes we ve had it it’s antihistamine old style, but we didn’t give it long term (I’m surprised your doc said they can have it daily)

there is melatonin that is sustained released it lasts all night it helps them go back to sleep

which brand are you using ?

I am not sure, I’ll raise it with the psychiatrist as there was no mention of slow release. The GP said that we could use the antihistamine daily but it feels too strong to do that so have only been using it in times of real need

Take away her phone and give her a dumb phone and don’t allow the tv apart from at lunch time give her a book at bedtime and see that insomnia disappear

We have no phones 4 hours before bed. Would she read or listen to an audio book?
Melatonin - did you try slow release?

Magnesium supplements may help too.