RE: Sleeping (or lack thereof) issues

[Guest guest]

My own personal take is that sleep is both behavioral and also something you

are physiologically able to do. Your son may not know how to put himself to

sleep, after not being able to learn how because his body wouldn't let him

sleep. If you've been able to address the phsyiological reasons, he may be

ready to 'learn' how to sleep. " Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child " is a

GREAT book on kids and sleep. I personally don't see why a sleep aid (like

melatonin) couldn't help in the learning process. (A couple of times, after

my son had an illness like an ear infection that made it difficult for him

to sleep, he needed a little sleep aid to be able to get back into a healthy

sleep routine).

I don't know Dr. G's take on melatonin or other sleep aids. I personally use

" Calms Forte " homepathic remedy (homepathic remedies supposedly don't

interfere with alopathic medications, but please don't quote me). I know

they make a version for kids.

Lots of luck,

Kristy

Sleeping (or lack thereof) issues

I pray someone can help me with this one. My 4 1/2 yo son has been on

Dr. G's protocol for about 10 months. He has never been a great

sleeper, since the day he was born (sometimes hard to get him down at

night, sometimes multiple wakings). Since he was 18 months old, he

would get up 1 or twice per week in the middle of the night and crawl

into our bed. Over the past few months, he has consistently been

getting up EVERY NIGHT and crawling into our bed.

When I spoke to Dr. G, he said to put a child rail on his bedroom door

and explain to him that it wasn't safe for him to get out of bed at

nighttime. The first night, I was up til 1 a.m. after 5 attempts at

him climbing the gate. I awoke that same night to him crawling into my

bed at 4 a.m. saying " Mama, I climbed the gate " .

Dr. G thinks it's a behavioral issue. I am not entirely convinced and

was wondering if any of you have had experience and/or success with

this and have any of you tried melatonin for sleep?

Thanks!

[Guest guest]

My son, now 9 year old, has been with Dr. Goldberg since he was 4. At the time

we saw Dr. G he had slept through the night less than a dozen times in his whole

life.

The baby gates didn't work for us because when he was a toddler he could climb

two of those tension gates stacked on top of each other!

None of the " get your child to sleep through the night " tricks worked for him,

even as a baby.

Until he was taken off of milk (3 years old) he'd wake up every few hours

screaming (with what I now know to be gut cramps) until he got another

bottle/cup of formula/milk.

After three years old he'd just wake up and play for hours... in the middle of

the night.

It was best for all of us to let him come into our bed when he woke up rather

than everyone being totally sleep deprived by struggling with him.

It wasn't until about two years ago that he started sleeping in his own bed

through the night. (He will get up sometimes to go to the bathroom.) We never

tried sleep aides.

I'd agree with Kristy- their bodies will sleep longer once they are able to.

My youngest, 2 years old, hasn't had any of the sleep issues as his older

brother. He's sleeping through the night. Only a few times he was up screaming

or up for hours during the night and those times were related to teething.

Totally different sleep behaviors in a healthy v. unhealthy child.

- in Mobile, AL

________________________

Reality lies beyond the horizon...

Wonderwegian

Sleeping (or lack thereof) issues

I pray someone can help me with this one. My 4 1/2 yo son has been on

Dr. G's protocol for about 10 months. He has never been a great

sleeper, since the day he was born (sometimes hard to get him down at

night, sometimes multiple wakings). Since he was 18 months old, he

would get up 1 or twice per week in the middle of the night and crawl

into our bed. Over the past few months, he has consistently been

getting up EVERY NIGHT and crawling into our bed.

When I spoke to Dr. G, he said to put a child rail on his bedroom door

and explain to him that it wasn't safe for him to get out of bed at

nighttime. The first night, I was up til 1 a.m. after 5 attempts at

him climbing the gate. I awoke that same night to him crawling into my

bed at 4 a.m. saying " Mama, I climbed the gate " .

Dr. G thinks it's a behavioral issue. I am not entirely convinced and

was wondering if any of you have had experience and/or success with

this and have any of you tried melatonin for sleep?

Thanks!

[Guest guest]

Hi -

That's an iffy. Waking up can be one thing, but the

getting out of bed is behavioral. Personally, I just

let the kids come to my room at first. I prefer if

they wait till 4 or 5 am first though, but like

Wonder, it was better than the extreme sleep

deprivation I had before. Child#2 woke screaming and

writhing every 20min to maybe an hour, if lucky an

hour and a half, all night long, every night, for the

first year and a half. So if they got in my bed and

slept, I was grateful they were asleep lol.

I really waited till the kids were more cognitively

able to understand what I wanted them to do - which I

think sounds like where your son is at now. It's

getting to where I don't remember it all, but we went

thru several stages. The first time it occured to me

to tell my son " You can come get in my bed, but wait

until it is light outside first, okay? If it is dark,

close your eyes and go back to sleep. " The next

morning he came in and said it's light outside.

Sometimes the most simple thing works when it's just

the right moment. So don't give up hope!!

Even recently, my 8yr old went thru a sleep problem

spell (just a couple of weeks ago) where he woke an

hour and a half after he went to bed, got up, wanted

to come to our bed or sleep on the couch. First

couple of times I let him until it was becoming a

pattern. Then it was war. He said he couldn't sleep,

I said he didn't want to, and we knocked heads a

couple of nights till I decided I wouldn't win. Then

.... I explained that every body wakes up a bunch of

times every night and usually don't remember it, and

that it's normal. I told him his brain is thinking

that means he can't sleep, but if he closes his eyes

and thinks he can, it will happen. I haven't had a

problem again since, and he said those words I love

more than almost anything else from the mouth of my

babes ... " You're right, mommy " .

Hang in there. Even when habits get good and

established, at the right moment they can be

surprisingly easy to change again.

HTH-

--- <ljburns83@...> wrote:

> I pray someone can help me with this one. My 4 1/2

> yo son has been on

> Dr. G's protocol for about 10 months. He has never

> been a great

> sleeper, since the day he was born (sometimes hard

> to get him down at

> night, sometimes multiple wakings). Since he was 18

> months old, he

> would get up 1 or twice per week in the middle of

> the night and crawl

> into our bed. Over the past few months, he has

> consistently been

> getting up EVERY NIGHT and crawling into our bed.

>

> When I spoke to Dr. G, he said to put a child rail

> on his bedroom door

> and explain to him that it wasn't safe for him to

> get out of bed at

> nighttime. The first night, I was up til 1 a.m.

> after 5 attempts at

> him climbing the gate. I awoke that same night to

> him crawling into my

> bed at 4 a.m. saying " Mama, I climbed the gate " .

>

> Dr. G thinks it's a behavioral issue. I am not

> entirely convinced and

> was wondering if any of you have had experience

> and/or success with

> this and have any of you tried melatonin for sleep?

>

> Thanks!

>

>

>

________________________________________________________________________________\

____

Be a better friend, newshound, and

know-it-all with Mobile. Try it now.

http://mobile./;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ

[Guest guest]

,

I use melatonin on my 4.5 y.o. son. It is like a miracle for him. He sleeps

better than he ever has. I don't know why it works so well but it helps him get

to sleep and he seems to stay asleep better also. He still goes through periods

where he does a lot of night waking. If he comes into my bed, I'll let him go

back to sleep and then put him back in his bed. I've been very consistent with

that and over time it has dramatically decreased his night waking and his coming

to get me at night. I think after so long of doing it, he doesn't think it is

worth it to get up anymore! He knows he'll wake up in his bed again. At this

point he usually only gets up at night if he doesn't feel well (and sometimes

he'll just have a bad period of time where he's up a lot). But overall he's

sleeping much more and much more consistently than he was a year ago. He used to

take hours to go to sleep and be up several times each night. So for us,

consistency and melatonin have really

helped.

We aren't doing at this point, I'm researching it and considering it.

We've been working with a DAN! doctor but so far my son hasn't tolerated any of

the supplements they've wanted us to use. So I've spent about $4000 to find out

the my son is intolerant to peanuts and eggs.

Good luck to you,

Tera

<ljburns83@...> wrote:

I pray someone can help me with this one. My 4 1/2 yo son has been on

Dr. G's protocol for about 10 months. He has never been a great

sleeper, since the day he was born (sometimes hard to get him down at

night, sometimes multiple wakings). Since he was 18 months old, he

would get up 1 or twice per week in the middle of the night and crawl

into our bed. Over the past few months, he has consistently been

getting up EVERY NIGHT and crawling into our bed.

When I spoke to Dr. G, he said to put a child rail on his bedroom door

and explain to him that it wasn't safe for him to get out of bed at

nighttime. The first night, I was up til 1 a.m. after 5 attempts at

him climbing the gate. I awoke that same night to him crawling into my

bed at 4 a.m. saying " Mama, I climbed the gate " .

Dr. G thinks it's a behavioral issue. I am not entirely convinced and

was wondering if any of you have had experience and/or success with

this and have any of you tried melatonin for sleep?

Thanks!

& lt;P & gt;Things turn out best for the people who make the best out of the way

things turn out - Art Linkletter

---------------------------------

Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Mobile. Try it now.

[Guest guest]

A big THANK YOU to all the Moms who gave great advice. Sometimes,

even if none of the suggestions help, it's reassuring to know that I

am not the only one experiencing this.

I appreciate all of your kind and encouraging words!!

> I pray someone can help me with this one. My 4 1/2 yo son

has been on

> Dr. G's protocol for about 10 months. He has never been a great

> sleeper, since the day he was born (sometimes hard to get him down

at

> night, sometimes multiple wakings). Since he was 18 months old, he

> would get up 1 or twice per week in the middle of the night and

crawl

> into our bed. Over the past few months, he has consistently been

> getting up EVERY NIGHT and crawling into our bed.

>

> When I spoke to Dr. G, he said to put a child rail on his bedroom

door

> and explain to him that it wasn't safe for him to get out of bed at

> nighttime. The first night, I was up til 1 a.m. after 5 attempts at

> him climbing the gate. I awoke that same night to him crawling into

my

> bed at 4 a.m. saying " Mama, I climbed the gate " .

>

> Dr. G thinks it's a behavioral issue. I am not entirely convinced

and

> was wondering if any of you have had experience and/or success with

> this and have any of you tried melatonin for sleep?

>

> Thanks!

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> & lt;P & gt;Things turn out best for the people who make the best out

of the way things turn out - Art Linkletter

>

> ---------------------------------

> Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Mobile.

Try it now.

>

>

[Guest guest]

Practically since we brought my son home from the hospital, we've had sleep

issues. As an infant he only slept for 20 minute stretches during the day. At 18

mos, we were done with naps. Melatonin works great for us. We worked out way up

to 3 mg in the evening, and at the same time, we worked with him on staying in

his room, even though he had awakened. I stopped letting him sleep in our bed

(he's 7 now; we started this when he was about 5 1/2) when he got up in the

middle of the night. Our youngest had night terrors at the same time, so my

husband and I would tag team. It wasn't unusual for both of us to be up 5 times

at night. Calms Forte for children helped with night terrors with my youngest.

It wore off too fast for Noah (autism), so we switched to melatonin.

If you son enjoys music, that was a huge help as well. We have a CD player

with one of Noah's favorite CDs set on continuous. If we forget to set it

correctly and he wakes up with no music, he will come into our room and tell us

" no music. " Otherwise, he just listens until he falls asleep. Some nights he

sleeps for 11 hours straight; other nights, he awakens several times. It

cycles.

HTH,

Robyn

tera <tera999@...> wrote:

,

I use melatonin on my 4.5 y.o. son. It is like a miracle for him. He sleeps

better than he ever has. I don't know why it works so well but it helps him get

to sleep and he seems to stay asleep better also. He still goes through periods

where he does a lot of night waking. If he comes into my bed, I'll let him go

back to sleep and then put him back in his bed. I've been very consistent with

that and over time it has dramatically decreased his night waking and his coming

to get me at night. I think after so long of doing it, he doesn't think it is

worth it to get up anymore! He knows he'll wake up in his bed again. At this

point he usually only gets up at night if he doesn't feel well (and sometimes

he'll just have a bad period of time where he's up a lot). But overall he's

sleeping much more and much more consistently than he was a year ago. He used to

take hours to go to sleep and be up several times each night. So for us,

consistency and melatonin have really

helped.

We aren't doing at this point, I'm researching it and considering it. We've

been working with a DAN! doctor but so far my son hasn't tolerated any of the

supplements they've wanted us to use. So I've spent about $4000 to find out the

my son is intolerant to peanuts and eggs.

Good luck to you,

Tera

<ljburns83@...> wrote:

I pray someone can help me with this one. My 4 1/2 yo son has been on

Dr. G's protocol for about 10 months. He has never been a great

sleeper, since the day he was born (sometimes hard to get him down at

night, sometimes multiple wakings). Since he was 18 months old, he

would get up 1 or twice per week in the middle of the night and crawl

into our bed. Over the past few months, he has consistently been

getting up EVERY NIGHT and crawling into our bed.

When I spoke to Dr. G, he said to put a child rail on his bedroom door

and explain to him that it wasn't safe for him to get out of bed at

nighttime. The first night, I was up til 1 a.m. after 5 attempts at

him climbing the gate. I awoke that same night to him crawling into my

bed at 4 a.m. saying " Mama, I climbed the gate " .

Dr. G thinks it's a behavioral issue. I am not entirely convinced and

was wondering if any of you have had experience and/or success with

this and have any of you tried melatonin for sleep?

Thanks!

& lt;P & gt;Things turn out best for the people who make the best out of the way

things turn out - Art Linkletter

---------------------------------

Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Mobile. Try it now.

[Guest guest]

Hi Kristy,

I am interested to know if you tried any other homeopathy medication apart

from the sleep aid for behavioral purposes like hyperactivity, focusing problems

etc. It will be good to know if something is potent out there in homeopathy that

can help children particularly because they have less side effects.

Regards,

Amit

Kristy Nardini <krnardini@...> wrote:

My own personal take is that sleep is both behavioral and also

something you

are physiologically able to do. Your son may not know how to put himself to

sleep, after not being able to learn how because his body wouldn't let him

sleep. If you've been able to address the phsyiological reasons, he may be

ready to 'learn' how to sleep. " Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child " is a

GREAT book on kids and sleep. I personally don't see why a sleep aid (like

melatonin) couldn't help in the learning process. (A couple of times, after

my son had an illness like an ear infection that made it difficult for him

to sleep, he needed a little sleep aid to be able to get back into a healthy

sleep routine).

I don't know Dr. G's take on melatonin or other sleep aids. I personally use

" Calms Forte " homepathic remedy (homepathic remedies supposedly don't

interfere with alopathic medications, but please don't quote me). I know

they make a version for kids.

Lots of luck,

Kristy

Sleeping (or lack thereof) issues

I pray someone can help me with this one. My 4 1/2 yo son has been on

Dr. G's protocol for about 10 months. He has never been a great

sleeper, since the day he was born (sometimes hard to get him down at

night, sometimes multiple wakings). Since he was 18 months old, he

would get up 1 or twice per week in the middle of the night and crawl

into our bed. Over the past few months, he has consistently been

getting up EVERY NIGHT and crawling into our bed.

When I spoke to Dr. G, he said to put a child rail on his bedroom door

and explain to him that it wasn't safe for him to get out of bed at

nighttime. The first night, I was up til 1 a.m. after 5 attempts at

him climbing the gate. I awoke that same night to him crawling into my

bed at 4 a.m. saying " Mama, I climbed the gate " .

Dr. G thinks it's a behavioral issue. I am not entirely convinced and

was wondering if any of you have had experience and/or success with

this and have any of you tried melatonin for sleep?

Thanks!

[Guest guest]

We use melatonin pretty regularly. We just went through several

months of not sleeping well and going to bed really late and since we

changed antifungals, he's doing much better. For my son, it's

apparently very yeast related. It only started happening again just

before school started and dwindled down after he went through the die

off.

I haven't really attempted to keep him from coming into our room at

night, though. He usually wakes up at some point and wants to be

with us and goes right back to sleep so it doesn't bother me - when

he's sleeping well, at least! I will be starting to work on that

soon, though since I'm going to try to start getting his 2 yo brother

to sleep in his own bed. Of course, I need to buy him one first!

Cheryl

On Dec 18, 2007, at 10:07 PM, wrote:

> I pray someone can help me with this one. My 4 1/2 yo son has been on

> Dr. G's protocol for about 10 months. He has never been a great

> sleeper, since the day he was born (sometimes hard to get him down at

> night, sometimes multiple wakings). Since he was 18 months old, he

> would get up 1 or twice per week in the middle of the night and crawl

> into our bed. Over the past few months, he has consistently been

> getting up EVERY NIGHT and crawling into our bed.

>

> When I spoke to Dr. G, he said to put a child rail on his bedroom door

> and explain to him that it wasn't safe for him to get out of bed at

> nighttime. The first night, I was up til 1 a.m. after 5 attempts at

> him climbing the gate. I awoke that same night to him crawling into my

> bed at 4 a.m. saying " Mama, I climbed the gate " .

>

> Dr. G thinks it's a behavioral issue. I am not entirely convinced and

> was wondering if any of you have had experience and/or success with

> this and have any of you tried melatonin for sleep?

>

> Thanks!

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Our son (age 6 & 1/2, and 11 months into the protocol) was a great

sleeper from day one. Went to bed on his own with a book, and

ultimately fell asleep, no problem. Then, about three years ago, he

started getting EXTREMELY upset going to bed, almost hysterical.

Ultimately, he ended up sleeping in our bed. After three or four

months, he started falling asleep on the couch. After a few weeks of

this, we began telling him we'd put him in his bed after he fell

asleep. This worked for a few months, then he started staying awake

on the couch, and refusing to go into his bed. Again, we let him

sleep in our bed, which continued until last week. One night, he

announced he was tired and wanted to go upstairs. He went into his

bed with a book and fell asleep.

He's been back in his bed since - self initiated and on his own. I

never wanted to force him back to his bed (letting him " cry it

out " ), because I feel that kids should view their rooms and beds as

good places, not anxious places. It's worked (somehow!) - and

keeping my fingers crossed that it sticks. Ultimately, the family

needs good, restful sleep. If it means they're in your bed for

awhile, it's better than not sleeping.

Hang in there!

Alaine

[Guest guest]

My son is now 8 and been on the protocol for 5 years. He always had

some sort of sleep issue. It has gotten better on the protocol. Dr

G once told me that there should be a natural tonin-related process

to encourage sleep at the end of the day, and if he is not able to

fall asleep it is still a sign of his " tonins " being out of whack.

(Forgive me if that is not quite accurate but it is the explanation I

recall.) He also told me he prefers me not to give melatonin, but if

I wanted to try it a few times a week he would be OK with it. I feel

like since we are always adjusting meds like Prozac, Wellbutrin, and

now Adderall, everything that has serotonin affect, the sleep part of

all of that is our signal that all is good, or all is bad!

In addition, I recall my son having a lot of night waking when 1st on

antivirals and antifungals. How many of us say our child is up from

2-5?? I don't what it is but something about 2-5!

>

> I pray someone can help me with this one. My 4 1/2 yo son has been

on

> Dr. G's protocol for about 10 months. He has never been a great

> sleeper, since the day he was born (sometimes hard to get him down

at

> night, sometimes multiple wakings). Since he was 18 months old, he

> would get up 1 or twice per week in the middle of the night and

crawl

> into our bed. Over the past few months, he has consistently been

> getting up EVERY NIGHT and crawling into our bed.

>

> When I spoke to Dr. G, he said to put a child rail on his bedroom

door

> and explain to him that it wasn't safe for him to get out of bed at

> nighttime. The first night, I was up til 1 a.m. after 5 attempts

at

> him climbing the gate. I awoke that same night to him crawling

into my

> bed at 4 a.m. saying " Mama, I climbed the gate " .

>

> Dr. G thinks it's a behavioral issue. I am not entirely convinced

and

> was wondering if any of you have had experience and/or success with

> this and have any of you tried melatonin for sleep?

>

> Thanks!

>

>

[Guest guest]

Our almost 9 year old has always been a fabulous sleeper, until

recently. We've been on the protocol for a few years and have

had minor sleep disturbances since (night wakings that last

anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours) but they resolved themselves

fairly quickly without interventions. Until now. Our girl is up

HOURS in the middle of the night and, like you, Dr. G said it was

behavioral. We disagreed but tried his approach. So now, my

daughter is laying in bed with her eyes closed not moving for 2-4

hours every night. His approach is not working for us. Her sleep

cycle is out of whack and I'm not sure how to get it back. She is

not happy being up in the middle of the night, she had trouble at the

end of last year falling asleep in class at the end of the day. She

doesn't want that to happen again. She knows her body needs sleep

and she struggles to get up in the morning, so we are convinced it is

not behavioral. We are at a total loss as what to do. We have a

phone consult with Dr. G this week so we'll ask him AGAIN for

suggestions but he still holds out that it's behavioral. I hope

things work out better, sleepwise, for you than for us!! Besides

sleep, has been awesome for our girl and our family. Any

brilliant mommy or daddy suggestions for us would be much appreciated.

A happy and healthy new year for you all (and merry Christmas to

those celebrating this holiday),

>

> >

> > I pray someone can help me with this one. My 4 1/2 yo son has been

>on

> > Dr. G's protocol for about 10 months. He has never been a great

> > sleeper, since the day he was born (sometimes hard to get him down

>at

> > night, sometimes multiple wakings). Since he was 18 months old, he

> > would get up 1 or twice per week in the middle of the night and

>crawl

> > into our bed. Over the past few months, he has consistently been

> > getting up EVERY NIGHT and crawling into our bed.

> >

> > When I spoke to Dr. G, he said to put a child rail on his bedroom

>door

> > and explain to him that it wasn't safe for him to get out of bed at

> > nighttime. The first night, I was up til 1 a.m. after 5 attempts

>at

> > him climbing the gate. I awoke that same night to him crawling

>into my

> > bed at 4 a.m. saying " Mama, I climbed the gate " .

> >

> > Dr. G thinks it's a behavioral issue. I am not entirely convinced

>and

> > was wondering if any of you have had experience and/or success with

> > this and have any of you tried melatonin for sleep?

> >

> > Thanks!

> >

> >