Staying asleep?

[saffronsunflower]

 

Hi All

 

I'm sure this is a common problem but i just thought i would ask for any tips on helping my son get to and stay asleep? He has a DX of aspergers and is 6, used to sleep better than he does at the moment.

 

Doesn't seem to have anything more on his mind than his usual anxieties, coping ok at school, he actually likes it...more than we expected him too so far but has been off on numerous occasions after having exhausted tantrums in the morning about being too tired.

 

We do wind down time, no films or gaming an hour before bed, ambient lighting, weighted blanket, relaxation music, bedtime story.

 

He has a lot of nightmares & and sometimes just lies there tired but unable to sleep

 

Any other suggestions?

 

Thanks

 

Nic

[JsMum]

 

 

 

Sounds like your son is really struggling, nightmares are absaloutly horrible and maybe he is unable to fall asleep as he is so scared about having a nightmare, when Jay was younger other children would wind him up with comments and later have nightmares as his own amagination went wild/ as this does naturally but with Jay not able to distinguish reality to fantacy he doesnt understand the difference to a dream to real.

 

With Jay he takes melatonin, and its absaloutly brilliant, he takes the liquid now too, absalout nightmare transferring to it, but he did it, and now he settles really well.

 

I talk with Jay a lot about his dreams, we draw, paint, act it out so he can help me understand his fears, he has high anxiety anyway but they increase massively at bedtime, and so he does really struggle, we have done a lot of research together looking at nightmares, as they are scarey, and looked into sleep and what happens to us if we dont sleep enough, this has really aided Js understanding in his sleeping routines.

 

It sounds like you have a fantastic pre evening and its obvous something is going on with him that is causing him to become very anxious at bedtimes.

 

A book we read that has loads of pictures is called sleeping well, by healthy kids, its a series of books and been really good for J.

 

Kids Health is a website and they have loads on nightmares too.

 

Maybe looking at anxiety too may help eliviate his symptoms too, and defo keep a sleep diary, as well as a diet diary too.

 

Share your sons sleeping difficulties with his Consultant that diagnosed your son as he may be able to refer your son onto further sleeping support, medication, sleep clinics, other therapies.

 

We use a range of breathing and relaxation techneques of which we have used this week, though his melatonin makes a big difference too.

 

Hope that things improve too, lack of sleep really does make everyone very grumpy, and irritable, so it is something that does need addressing.

 

Good Luck

 

JsMum

 

 

 

 

 

[lynne]

Hi Nic,

 

I use massage and a room with plain walls. This reduces his sensory input.

 

My son also enjoys the lava lamp - it helps him to relax.

 

Melatonin also helps but it does not work if you use it long time. You need time without any, so when

you do use it, it will work well.

 

 

But sometimes nothing works.

 

Yesterday my son come home early from school because he was very tired and hence anything would set him off.

 

Sometimes our children just need a days break to regroup.

 

 

[JsMum]

Hi Nic,

 

I use massage and a room with plain walls. This reduces his sensory input.

 

My son also enjoys the lava lamp - it helps him to relax.

 

Melatonin also helps but it does not work if you use it long time. You need time without any, so when

you do use it, it will work well.

 

 

But sometimes nothing works.

 

Yesterday my son come home early from school because he was very tired and hence anything would set him off.

 

Sometimes our children just need a days break to regroup.

 

Jay has breaks too as we found his melatonin didnt work all the time either, what a nightmare that is on its own when he cant have melatonin.

 

But like you he has a break from melatonin so he doesnt build up a resistance.

 

JsMum

 

 

 

[ksasnic]

My son's on melatonin also and its been a godsend.. Good luck with what you choose.

[Sooze2]

My son started Menatonin about 2 months ago and the change is amazing. He wasn't getting to sleep intill 11pm - midnight then would get up sleep walking or having night terrors almost every night. He would get up and down before falling asleep and like you say wanted to sleep (well, knew he should) but couldn't.

 

He now goes to sleep around 9 and rarely gets up and is so much nicer to be around.

 

I ran out of the tablets after the first month and he was back to not sleeping and sleep walking andhaving nightmres once alseep. He found it very upsetting not being able to get to sleep because he loved the fact that he wasn't being tald off and made to go back to bed every 5 minutes for hours at night.

 

I didn't know they needed to have a break from it every now and again. I'm dreading that!

[ksasnic]

Sooze, do they need a break from it ? my sons consultant havn't told me about a break. How often do they need a break ?

[lynne]

We were told from the very beginning that our son needed a break from the medication for it to work well. We always have a break in the holidays. I also try not to give it him during the middle of term time. But September to Christmas is a must.

 

I don't think there is any document how often you should have a break.

 

 

[joybed]

Is melatonin available from your GP as i thought it wasn,t available in the UK. M is stilll late to get to sleep and often wakes in the night but rarely disturbs us now he just tends to go on the computer. He rarely seems tired either surprisingly.

[ksasnic]

Yes it is available in the UK but I was told that because its red listed or ? it means that only a consultant or hospital dr can prescribe it. My sons normal gp can't.

 

Must admit it works ok for my son without a break.. Having said that during the school holidays he does miss the odd night. I will ask the consultant at his next appointment.

[Chriscom2]

I've suffered from night terrors for the most part of my life so I know what it's like for you. Though I've recently been able to almost completely reduce them. I've also stopped my nightmares. It's a strange solution and I really didn't think it would work, but it worked well. I don't care if it's placebo or not, it worked for me and I'm so glad. If anyone wants to know what it is then please PM me. I don't want to be seen advertising products on a moderated forum.

[Sooze2]

I didn't know they needed a break from it untill I read it on this post. Although his consultant said that their is some question over it effecting fertility in males so she doesn't want him on it for long! Has anyone else been told this?

[ksasnic]

What Sooze !!! Oh my god - Noooooooooooo. I have not been told this at all. I will defo be asking his consultant next time I see him.. Am off to research this a bit more...

[JsMum]

I didn't know they needed a break from it untill I read it on this post. Although his consultant said that their is some question over it effecting fertility in males so she doesn't want him on it for long! Has anyone else been told this?

 

 

 

The research I have read there has been nothing at all about firtility problems.

 

The break is to stop a resistance.

 

JsMum

 

[bikemad]

This is the stuff my lad might be put on to at the next cahms appointment cos of his sleep..well lack of.

[peaches]

If we get offered this for DGS I certainly wont worry about it affecting his fertility ... My (Asperger's) daughter has had 4 unplanned pregnancies which have had very far reaching effects mostly because she cant bring the kids up herself. Sometimes I wish that something had affected her fertility. But thats just me! Dont take offence, Im sure you wont want your son's fertility affected!

[Chriscom2]

I was never found of melatonin supplements. It's just the idea of inducing something that should be natural. It's best to stimulate in naturally by getting plenty of natural light during the day and decreasing it in the evening and nigh easier said than done. If that doesn't work then there's probably a psychological component to it. Medication can help and some CDs are specifically designed to lower your brainwaves and induce a state ideal for sleep. I usually do that when I have trouble sleeping and when that fails the shakti mudra seems to work wonders for me.

[bikemad]

We are haveing a nightmare with my ds n getting him to go to sleep and stay asleep...I cant wait to see if I can get help with it at the next appointment we have as much as I hate the cahms bloke lol.

[JsMum]

Hi I read this information, maybe useful to others using melatonin, its interesting in the Autism Section too, Js had no melatonin this weekend and has been up until 1am, we certainly cant lead a forfilled life with sleep that last four to five hours sleep if we are to keep to routines in the morning.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melatonin

 

 

http://www.insomniacs.co.uk/effect-of-decr...n-on-sleep.html this was good info, too.

 

JsMum

 

Edited October 26, 2008 by JsMum

[bikemad]

Thanx for the links.