Meechi still struggles with sleep issues every now and then. The major night terrors seem to be a thing of the past, but he does still have a nightmare bad enough to wake him up and keep him up every now and then. He also is struggling with falling asleep and staying asleep once he gets there. We had him taking melatonin (as recommended by the developmental pediatrician) before bed for a few months and it helped him drift off and kept him sleeping for longer periods of time. We stopped giving him the melatonin at the beginning of the summer because we do not really want it to become the only way he can sleep. Now that school has started back up I am thinking we may have to go back to using it for awhile.
It is taking him far too long to fall asleep at night. Last night he was still awake at midnight. He woke up before six this morning and did not fall back to sleep until just before eight which is when I would normally wake him for school. Today I just let him sleep as long as he could. He is so grouchy the next day when he has nights like that, and waking him for school would have served no purpose. Grouches do not really do well in school!
Some of his other sleep issues include talking and sometimes walking in his sleep. Bedtime has never really been an easy or restful thing for the poor kid.
So, I think we may just have to go back to using melatonin for at least a little while in order for him to get enough sleep to function for school.
I would love to hear from anyone else whose child is having sleep issues and from anyone who has had to use melatonin to try and help regulate their child's sleep.
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Both Hannah and I use melatonin to get to sleep. Hannah absolutely cannot turn her mind off to sleep. The melatonin seems to help her settle herself to be ready for sleep if we give it to her about a 1/2 hr before bed. It also seems to help her sleep longer although I'm not sure that is supposed to be an effect of the supplement. According to our developmental ped, there is no risk of dependency since it is a substance that the body makes naturally and if your body doesn't make enough of it naturally then it doesn't make enough period. Supplementing it won't make your body stop making whatever amount it is already making. Good luck with the melatonin if you decide to give it a try again. It's been a lifesaver for us. Oh, and one final thing. While it doesn't seem to be weight dependent per se since it depends on how much your body is currently making, as Hannah has grown we have had to up her does once after a significant growth spurt. I've also heard other people mention that different companies actually have different concentrations of the actual active ingredient in their version of the supplement so if you switch makers you may need to find a new dosage that works best since there is no regulation with herbals and supplements.
Natalie
Wow - I don't envy you or M as I have zero patience with kids who won't/can't sleep and the resulting behavioral issues the next day. Irina also has issues winding down. We may consider moving bathtime to the morning or earlier as she gets riled up by the water/sensory stimulation and her brother's antics. We have found that limiting her naps have helped to exhaust her enough to fall asleep faster (though sometimes she will wake up). Also, we have a 'sleep sheep' that provides white noise like waves or rain. With Miras we used to give him a repetitive, non-stimulating toy to play with (such as a wooden block on wires) which would help him to fall asleep. We have tried a weighted vest for Irina lately which does have some calming effects. Have you asked your OT for advice? How about yoga or something to help him to wind down and clear his mind?
When Nicholas first came home, we gave him melatonin every night to help him sleep. We tapered off about a year ago (after being home a year) and now we use a half tab occasionally on nights that are stimulating (on vacation, etc.). It helped us maintain our sanity. His little brain keeps working and does not shut down.
Btw, he is also SPD, vestibular but completely opposite, he likes swinging motions, can't stop moving and has to feel movement...
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