Re: continued sleep problems/ Sara, Diane, a

[Guest guest]

All,

Thank you for the input. We have done a sleep study, and Ellen did

improve after T & A surgery, as well as sinus surgery. We found out in

Dec. last year that she was never able to breathe out of the left side

of her nose as she had a combo bony/membranous blockage between her

left sinus and nasal passage. (No wonder we had so many sleep

interruptions and sinus infections!) After three surgeries, the sleep

apnea seems to have gone away, and she breathes so much easier at night.

Still, I thought we would have more improvement in sleep by now...

Perhaps waking up has become so much of a habit that it will take a

long time to break. I may also, as Diane reminded me, be giving

in to cuddling a bit too much. I guess I'll have to practice some

patience, too. Ellen's not quite at that level of understanding and

self-control as a's . Ellen knows to come get us in the

middle of the night if she has to potty, but if I leave her to her own

devices after putting her back to bed, she'll either find trouble or

come get us again. (We've installed a wireless entry alarm on her

door so we know when she gets up at night. It has helped a lot.

She'd probably throw and break a baby monitor.) In being firm about

staying in bed, would you all recommend waiting inside or outside the

room?

Sara, have you tried melatonin? I don't know if it works for

everyone, but it does help Ellen get to sleep. We give her 6 mg

about half an hour or so before bedtime (we have to break the capsules

and mix it in applesauce). Just an idea.

Diane, regarding potty training, I think it's all about getting the

communication piece going. Ellen will tell us (meaning grandma, my

husband, me) if she has to go, but not her teachers or therapists. At

school she will just leave the room (if inside) to go potty or have an

accident. If she goes alone, she constantly gets distracted and in

trouble. Here's a funny one: there have been a few instances at the

playground where she's just squatted right then and there. Needless

to say we're trying to instill some modesty. So it's still a work

in progress for us, too. Is Rochelle's lack of communication more

verbal, or does it extend to signing as well? One big breakthough

this year that came out of Ellen's diagnosis process at school was

that picture cues are a huge help to get her to communicate (at least

with teachers). Perhaps something like this will help: a

board/booklet with different pictures of different needs, wants and

feelings (hungry/food pictures, happy/sad/frustrated faces, potty,

etc...). They keep something like that available for Ellen to use

during lunchtime, and others they use for helping her transition

between activities. I hope this helps a little, and I understand the

communication frustration completely.

> Hello all,

>

> My daughter Ellen (7, DS/Autism) has had sleep problems for several

> years - waking up 2-4 times per night, insisting that someone lay down

> with her until she falls asleep, finding trouble before finding us if

> she wakes up, etc... We had her on Benadryl (for post-sinus

> surgery) as well as melatonin for a while, and are still using the

> melatonin. While on the nightly Benadryl dose, she woke up fewer

> times. The melatonin by itself only seems to help her get to sleep

> initially, but doesn't reduce the frequency of night disturbances. We

> just got her to the point of sleeping without overnight diapers, and I

> am afraid that if I start her on Benadryl again, we will lose ground

> on the overnight potty training bit.

>

> So - question 1: has anyone noticed problems with Benadryl hampering

> potty training? Question 2: have any of you tried a different

> approach (different medication or something) to sleep problems?

> Question 3: does the sleep problem go away or improve with age or any

> kind behavior modification training?

>

> Thank you all so much!

>

>

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 7/30/2004 1:51:22 AM Eastern Standard Time,

h_meiring@... writes:

It has helped a lot.

She'd probably throw and break a baby monitor.) In being firm about

staying in bed, would you all recommend waiting inside or outside the

room?

, I would say outside. You may have to go back in numerous times,

but if you make a habit of staying inside, she'll expect that too. Maddie

also will destroy if she doesn't go right to sleep; I lock her closet door, but

she'll dump the toybox and her clothes drawers. Maddie's new thing was to

turn on the ceiling light so she could SEE what she was destroying. We tried

duck taping it in the off position, but that lasted about 30 seconds...LOL So

we just unscrewed the light bulb. For the most part, Maddie stays asleep

though. We give her melatonin also.

Donna

[Guest guest]

,

You asked whether I stayed in or outside the bedroom. I actually

camped out in the doorway for a couple of nights until she went to

sleep. I would verbally tell her to go to bed if she got out. But,

at least I wasn't sleeping with her. I have to admit I still get in

her bed if she has a bad dream or seems upset/sick.

Ellen sounds like a doll. How nice she tells you in the night she

has to go. I think once you have the sleep pattern broken she might

sleep through the night. Each child is different as I have found out

on this list. I have to admit I am not firm enough. Rochelle did

really well with an extremely firm teacher. My follow through was

important. I usually am not firm enough until I can't stand it

anymore. It so important for Rochelle to be independent yet I

constantly do stuff for her. I even help her pull down her pants

which she can do.

Diane

> > Hello all,

> >

> > My daughter Ellen (7, DS/Autism) has had sleep problems for

several

> > years - waking up 2-4 times per night, insisting that someone

lay down

> > with her until she falls asleep, finding trouble before finding

us if

> > she wakes up, etc... We had her on Benadryl (for post-sinus

> > surgery) as well as melatonin for a while, and are still using

the

> > melatonin. While on the nightly Benadryl dose, she woke up fewer

> > times. The melatonin by itself only seems to help her get to

sleep

> > initially, but doesn't reduce the frequency of night

disturbances. We

> > just got her to the point of sleeping without overnight diapers,

and I

> > am afraid that if I start her on Benadryl again, we will lose

ground

> > on the overnight potty training bit.

> >

> > So - question 1: has anyone noticed problems with Benadryl

hampering

> > potty training? Question 2: have any of you tried a different

> > approach (different medication or something) to sleep problems?

> > Question 3: does the sleep problem go away or improve with age

or any

> > kind behavior modification training?

> >

> > Thank you all so much!

> >

> >