Re: O.T...how do you get your kids to sleep

[Guest guest]

Penny,

If it is still taking him 1-2 hours to fall asleep, I don' t think the

melatonin is working or you are not using the right form.

My boys get so sleepy that they cannot stay awake within 30

minutes of taking melatonin. They are tired within 20 minutes

and asleep within 30.

With no melatonin, they stay up until midnight or 1am easily.

They are just not sleepy.

Now, I will add that without Taurine, the melatonin is not as

effective for my boys. They still fall asleep within 30 minutes, but

they do not stay asleep all night.

I do not know if this combo works for other kids or not. But I give

1 Taurine (325mg) in the morning and one at bedtime. If I do not

give both, they do not sleep as long. Giving both doses of

Taurine and .5mg of fast acting melatonin yields about 9-10

hours of continuous sleep.

No melatonin and no taurine= 6-7 hours of sleep starting at

about midnight, not continuous

Melatonin and no taurine= 8 hours of sleep, not continuous

Also, what other supplements are you giving and at what time of

day are you giving them?

Jody

mom to -5 and -7

SCD 14 months

[Guest guest]

Penny,

My son takes the melatonin and the magnesium glycinate also. He is usually

asleep in 1 hour . Without it he gets too anxious laying awake in bed. I

notice if something is medically up then the melatonin doesn't seem to work.

ie. when he was severly constipated. You might keep a sleep log with his

position when he felll asleep vs. did he wake up at night. For my son, it seems

that when I check him before I go to sleep, if his knees are up then he wakes in

the morning having not rested well or may even wake up at night. For the most

part though the melatonin works for us. Maybe you need to up the dose. Perhaps

you should talk to your dr. on that, especially is you know medically he is

okay. (c or d just for starters)

Hope this helps,

Doreen

O.T...how do you get your kids to sleep

Kenzie has been on melatonin for years. I tried a couple of other things but

they didn't really work. But, melatonin isn't the best either. He is on a time

released one. He will fall asleep generally in 1-2 hours after getting it but

wakes up most nights. He may be awake 3-4 hours. Other nights he sleeps

through the night. I think yeast is gone for now so I can't blame that. I am

trying tonight to go without melatonin being that it is a weekend. He will be

awake till midnight, at least. I've done this before so I know. I lock him in

his room for safety. He has a little porta potty in there so he can pee if he

has to. I just feel guilty about him being in there so long awake. I just

can't stay up with him. I need a break in the evening. So, does anyone have

any good sleep suggestions? Is there another supplement that would work better?

He gets magnesium glycinate in the evening. BTW, last night I took one of his

melatonin by accident. I was in an auto pilot mode. Anyhow, I had a terrible

nightmare. It may just be coincidence but I've heard of this before. My nine

year can't sleep either. She takes one almost every night and she sleeps like a

rock. Sorry for this long post.

Thanks

Penny

[Guest guest]

I don't know if you want to go this route, but a friend of mine has to use

trazadone (?) to get her kid to sleep. They tried everything else and nothing

seemed to work. He's also pretty agressive and it helps level him out some as

well. She's just getting into the dietary intervention, I'm spoon feeding her -

she just got to where she could stomach that thimerisol in the vaccines was

probably the cause of his autism, baby steps!!! She tried melatonin and had to

go a more difficult road, the side effects aren't anything to be overly worried

about so it could be a thought.

Karyn, Mom to 4.3 yoa, dx'd severly autistic, GF/CF, SCD 2 mths

Kenzie has been on melatonin for years. I tried a couple of other things but

they didn't really work. But, melatonin isn't the best either. He is on a time

released one. He will fall asleep generally in 1-2 hours after getting it but

wakes up most nights. He may be awake 3-4 hours. Other nights he sleeps

through the night. I think yeast is gone for now so I can't blame that. I am

trying tonight to go without melatonin being that it is a weekend. He will be

awake till midnight, at least. I've done this before so I know. I lock him in

his room for safety. He has a little porta potty in there so he can pee if he

has to. I just feel guilty about him being in there so long awake. I just

can't stay up with him. I need a break in the evening. So, does anyone have

any good sleep suggestions? Is there another supplement that would work better?

He gets magnesium glycinate in the evening. BTW, last night I took one of his

melatonin by accident. I was in an auto pilot mode. Anyhow, I had a terrible

nightmare. It may just be coincidence but I've heard of this before. My nine

year can't sleep either. She takes one almost every night and she sleeps like a

rock. Sorry for this long post.

Thanks

Penny

[Guest guest]

Penny,

When I gave the melatonin from Kirkman's (capsules), it took

almost an hour for my boys to fall asleep. No good for me. I

used their chewables, which worked quickly, until we started

SCD. The chewables are illegal. So, I switched to KAL brand

fast acting melatonin.

I use Taurine from Kirkman's (325 mg). I didn't think that GNC

actually sold Taurine. Very few places actually make taurine as a

separate supplement. I have no idea whether or not GNC

makes it or whether it would be legal. Sorry.

I would not give any vitamins containing B vitamins late in the

afternoon. I give all of my boys supplements in the morning

because if I give them in the afternoon, they have a much harder

time sleeping. I don't think that zinc and magnesium would

interfere with sleep.

Jody

mom to -5 and -7

SCD 14 months

[Guest guest]

Dear Penny

my 3 year old Dimiter

used to have inconsolable (scream+stare) nightwaking

for months

he would sleep about 2 hours/night, no naps for days in a row

that went away with GFCF/SF

his hyperactivity during the day

went down with Feingold Diet

then he would go to bed at about midnite or 2am

and stim a lot in the evenings post dinner

rowdy verbal stim, hyperactive

by now he goes to bed voluntarily or when told verbally

by 8 or 8:30am, someitmes tucking himself in

and sleep all night (we wake him to go potty once, then

he goes back to sleep) till we wake him at 8am

I believe these helped him

1. enzymes with EVERY meal/snacks, 2 caps Kirman's digestive enzymes

with DPP-IV if he has meats (for his indigestion, acid reflux)

2. no food by 6:30pm; after dinner, we let him exercise/run in yard

sleep with light tummy by 8:30pm

3. heaviest foods (eg lamb, meats) in the morning..digested by night

for good night's sleep. Reduced frying. Once we gave him sautee

carrots, shallots, lamb and he could not sleep and threw all that

fried stuff out, then slept. So we greatly reduced frying

4. I we feed him too much, he tends to sit up instead of lying

down. We think maybe that prevents acid reflux

5. by now with firm stools in SCD, he sleeps like an angel

I hope you get this magic soon, on SCD!

(our meals are very puritanical: to aid his very poor digestion

eg

-boiled zucchini/broccoli/garlic/ veggies, go through juicer,

fed as soup

-intro soups

-sautee lamb, cut in very small pieces, fed only in the

morning, without anything else (food combination)

-scrambled eggs (limited)

-ripe banana, avocado

-boiled peas, I peel each membrane off each and every pea

-ops! I gotta go change diaper of my 13 month old now

good luck!

your determination through so many obstacles

is an inspiration to me, Penny!

love to you and your guy

mama Jzin

Dimiter age 3, ASD...great sleep, starting to count, can answer " what

is that ? questions " , no more super sensitive ears/head, etc daily

miracles unfolding. Thanks to SCD/Elaine!!!!

SCD intro since 2/04

just started goat milk yogurt last night...very excited