Guest guest Posted December 28, 2002 Report Share Posted December 28, 2002 > Of course, I jinxed myself. He woke up at 10:15 and is still awake. :-( > It's 11:45 now. He's wide awake and roughhousing with Dad. Will be a late > night tonight. >> Ha, ha, must be very careful what you say! Salli Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 31, 2002 Report Share Posted December 31, 2002 There are a lot of things you can do that may help. There are probably as many strategies out there as there are kids with sleep problems! Once you get Buster into therapy and have people who know about autism that you can talk with (professionals, I mean, although I'm sure you will get LOTS of suggestions from people here as well) you will doubtless put some pieces together and be able to help him. There is a wonderful book called Sleep Better! Improving Sleep for Children with Special Needs. It's available on amazon.com...I dont' think it was even $20. It is fairly anti-med and gives a lot of different strategies that may work. It has helped us a lot, although we did still end up using meds because the behavioral strategies didn't help enough. I can find the web site for you if you want. Melatonin is something else you can look into on your own. It is a natural supplement. It works very well for some. You can find it in a health food store or sometimes at Meijer's or Wal-Mart. It comes in pills or in a liquid in a little spray bottle...you can mix the liquid with something else. Just follow the dosage directions on the bottle...you can start with 1/4 dose and work up to a full dose if he needs it. There are hundreds of other natural remedies as well. We tried dozens, including chiropracty and acupuncture...but would not let the doctors touch him, so those were unfortunately useless. :/ has never been a good sleeper, but shortly after he turned 2 it escalated to the point that he was sleeping just 3 hours out of 24. He would sleep from midnight to 3am and that was it. No naps. Nothing. He was done sleeping until midnight the next night. I had an infant and my husband worked nights, so I was a) not even getting 3 hours of sleep nightly, and dealing with the children all night on my own while Matt worked, and all day on my own while Matt slept enough that he could function at work...It was not a fun time. We tried everything we could think of, and we tried everything our ped could think of, including a medication which did not work well and was hell to get into him, and we found that book and tried the stuff in it, which helped some but not enough, and then our ped referred us to a behavioralist and a child psychologist specializing in autism, who each had SIX MONTH WAITING LISTS. This was not quite the help I had hoped for. Eventually I was sleep-deprived enough that I feared I would hurt myself and/or my children, and we went to the emergency room. They prescribed another medication which also did not help, and they also got us in to see the behavioralist just 3 weeks later. Hurrah! The behavioralist concluded that this was not a behavioral problem, but had a physiological basis, and prescribed the clonidine. It has worked beautifully for us up until now. Sure we've still had our rough nights but nothing even close to that horrid time...until now...and it's only been going on for a few weeks this time, and he is sleeping 4-5, somtimes 6 hours at night. So it still is not as bad as it was, but I'm afraid I'm not coping very well regardless of that. So that is our sordid tale! -Sara. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 31, 2002 Report Share Posted December 31, 2002 Our melatonin isnt a spray. It has a dropper. Jacquie H RE: Sleep There are a lot of things you can do that may help. There are probably as many strategies out there as there are kids with sleep problems! Once you get Buster into therapy and have people who know about autism that you can talk with (professionals, I mean, although I'm sure you will get LOTS of suggestions from people here as well) you will doubtless put some pieces together and be able to help him. There is a wonderful book called Sleep Better! Improving Sleep for Children with Special Needs. It's available on amazon.com...I dont' think it was even $20. It is fairly anti-med and gives a lot of different strategies that may work. It has helped us a lot, although we did still end up using meds because the behavioral strategies didn't help enough. I can find the web site for you if you want. Melatonin is something else you can look into on your own. It is a natural supplement. It works very well for some. You can find it in a health food store or sometimes at Meijer's or Wal-Mart. It comes in pills or in a liquid in a little spray bottle...you can mix the liquid with something else. Just follow the dosage directions on the bottle...you can start with 1/4 dose and work up to a full dose if he needs it. There are hundreds of other natural remedies as well. We tried dozens, including chiropracty and acupuncture...but would not let the doctors touch him, so those were unfortunately useless. :/ has never been a good sleeper, but shortly after he turned 2 it escalated to the point that he was sleeping just 3 hours out of 24. He would sleep from midnight to 3am and that was it. No naps. Nothing. He was done sleeping until midnight the next night. I had an infant and my husband worked nights, so I was a) not even getting 3 hours of sleep nightly, and dealing with the children all night on my own while Matt worked, and all day on my own while Matt slept enough that he could function at work...It was not a fun time. We tried everything we could think of, and we tried everything our ped could think of, including a medication which did not work well and was hell to get into him, and we found that book and tried the stuff in it, which helped some but not enough, and then our ped referred us to a behavioralist and a child psychologist specializing in autism, who each had SIX MONTH WAITING LISTS. This was not quite the help I had hoped for. Eventually I was sleep-deprived enough that I feared I would hurt myself and/or my children, and we went to the emergency room. They prescribed another medication which also did not help, and they also got us in to see the behavioralist just 3 weeks later. Hurrah! The behavioralist concluded that this was not a behavioral problem, but had a physiological basis, and prescribed the clonidine. It has worked beautifully for us up until now. Sure we've still had our rough nights but nothing even close to that horrid time...until now...and it's only been going on for a few weeks this time, and he is sleeping 4-5, somtimes 6 hours at night. So it still is not as bad as it was, but I'm afraid I'm not coping very well regardless of that. So that is our sordid tale! -Sara. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 31, 2002 Report Share Posted December 31, 2002 I know that Greggory and Alec were both really awful between 3-4 yrs old. It hasnt gotten better in some ways. Alec and Greggory are now much better although we still have to use melatonin everynight and sometimes drugs. jacquie h Sleep And here I thought I was was alone... Buster has major sleep disruptions. I never seem to get enough sleep and I just thought that it was his internal clock or something. It sounds as if this is something that many of you deal with. Some apparently with medication. Is this something I can look forward to continuing? (haha, she says) debbi --- Win a $50.00 Walmart Gift Certificate! http://tinyurl.com/3sbv Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 31, 2002 Report Share Posted December 31, 2002 > And here I thought I was was alone... Buster has major sleep disruptions. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA - Pardon me while I laugh hysterically. My poor sleep deprived brain requires very little to set it off into unpredictable bouts of laughter. Sigh. No you are SO not alone on this one. I never seem to get enough sleep and I just thought that it was his internal clock or something. Umm, actually that is a real possibility. It can also be that sensory integration issues prevent him from being able to sleep well. and I take turns with naps, adjusting work schedules and days off, appointments and life in general to try and manage. Much does not get done in the quest for minimally adequate sleep. It sounds as if this is something that many of you deal with. Some apparently with medication. Is this something I can look forward to continuing? (haha, she says) That depends up on the kid. takes 300mg of Trazedone to sleep. No Trazedon, no sleep. At all. No sleep makes him manic, among other things. This is a very bad combination. Gail takes her Remeron at bed time and often takes benadryl also to help her sleep. No sleep for her means more anxiety and panic attacks, no attention span and low frustration threshold. Bad combination all the way around. JJ is finally a little better about sleeping, but he is still up typically until eleven or so, and migrates to our bed often in the wee hours, or is up early. Not always, but often enough. He may possibly get better. Or not. has significant sensory issues that impede his ability to sleep without alot of environmental support. We'll see how that goes. has no sleep issues....other than being a teenager with teenagerish type sleeping habits......LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 31, 2002 Report Share Posted December 31, 2002 Man, oh man!! These posts have made me realize how very lucky and fortunate I am. Matt has very rarely had sleep problems, except settling down to go to sleep, but once he's out, he's out for at least 8 to 9 hours, usually more like 11. I swear I'd go insane if I didn't get 7 hours a night. I really admire those of you who keep on going on so little sleep. I wish I had some secret to share, but I guess I'm just fortunate. Sorry. :-( My New Years wish is that everyone here can get some restful sleep. ellen Re: Sleep > And here I thought I was was alone... Buster has major sleep disruptions. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA - Pardon me while I laugh hysterically. My poor sleep deprived brain requires very little to set it off into unpredictable bouts of laughter. Sigh. No you are SO not alone on this one. I never seem to get enough sleep and I just thought that it was his internal clock or something. Umm, actually that is a real possibility. It can also be that sensory integration issues prevent him from being able to sleep well. and I take turns with naps, adjusting work schedules and days off, appointments and life in general to try and manage. Much does not get done in the quest for minimally adequate sleep. It sounds as if this is something that many of you deal with. Some apparently with medication. Is this something I can look forward to continuing? (haha, she says) That depends up on the kid. takes 300mg of Trazedone to sleep. No Trazedon, no sleep. At all. No sleep makes him manic, among other things. This is a very bad combination. Gail takes her Remeron at bed time and often takes benadryl also to help her sleep. No sleep for her means more anxiety and panic attacks, no attention span and low frustration threshold. Bad combination all the way around. JJ is finally a little better about sleeping, but he is still up typically until eleven or so, and migrates to our bed often in the wee hours, or is up early. Not always, but often enough. He may possibly get better. Or not. has significant sensory issues that impede his ability to sleep without alot of environmental support. We'll see how that goes. has no sleep issues....other than being a teenager with teenagerish type sleeping habits......LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 31, 2002 Report Share Posted December 31, 2002 Of course, I jinxed myself. He woke up at 10:15 and is still awake. :-( It's 11:45 now. He's wide awake and roughhousing with Dad. Will be a late night tonight. ellen Re: Sleep > And here I thought I was was alone... Buster has major sleep disruptions. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA - Pardon me while I laugh hysterically. My poor sleep deprived brain requires very little to set it off into unpredictable bouts of laughter. Sigh. No you are SO not alone on this one. I never seem to get enough sleep and I just thought that it was his internal clock or something. Umm, actually that is a real possibility. It can also be that sensory integration issues prevent him from being able to sleep well. and I take turns with naps, adjusting work schedules and days off, appointments and life in general to try and manage. Much does not get done in the quest for minimally adequate sleep. It sounds as if this is something that many of you deal with. Some apparently with medication. Is this something I can look forward to continuing? (haha, she says) That depends up on the kid. takes 300mg of Trazedone to sleep. No Trazedon, no sleep. At all. No sleep makes him manic, among other things. This is a very bad combination. Gail takes her Remeron at bed time and often takes benadryl also to help her sleep. No sleep for her means more anxiety and panic attacks, no attention span and low frustration threshold. Bad combination all the way around. JJ is finally a little better about sleeping, but he is still up typically until eleven or so, and migrates to our bed often in the wee hours, or is up early. Not always, but often enough. He may possibly get better. Or not. has significant sensory issues that impede his ability to sleep without alot of environmental support. We'll see how that goes. has no sleep issues....other than being a teenager with teenagerish type sleeping habits......LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 1, 2003 Report Share Posted January 1, 2003 Thanks! Jacquie H (who needs more sleep!) Re: Sleep > And here I thought I was was alone... Buster has major sleep disruptions. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA - Pardon me while I laugh hysterically. My poor sleep deprived brain requires very little to set it off into unpredictable bouts of laughter. Sigh. No you are SO not alone on this one. I never seem to get enough sleep and I just thought that it was his internal clock or something. Umm, actually that is a real possibility. It can also be that sensory integration issues prevent him from being able to sleep well. and I take turns with naps, adjusting work schedules and days off, appointments and life in general to try and manage. Much does not get done in the quest for minimally adequate sleep. It sounds as if this is something that many of you deal with. Some apparently with medication. Is this something I can look forward to continuing? (haha, she says) That depends up on the kid. takes 300mg of Trazedone to sleep. No Trazedon, no sleep. At all. No sleep makes him manic, among other things. This is a very bad combination. Gail takes her Remeron at bed time and often takes benadryl also to help her sleep. No sleep for her means more anxiety and panic attacks, no attention span and low frustration threshold. Bad combination all the way around. JJ is finally a little better about sleeping, but he is still up typically until eleven or so, and migrates to our bed often in the wee hours, or is up early. Not always, but often enough. He may possibly get better. Or not. has significant sensory issues that impede his ability to sleep without alot of environmental support. We'll see how that goes. has no sleep issues....other than being a teenager with teenagerish type sleeping habits......LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 1, 2003 Report Share Posted January 1, 2003 YUP! he was up until after 1:00. :-| ellen Re: Re: Sleep > Of course, I jinxed myself. He woke up at 10:15 and is still awake. :-( > It's 11:45 now. He's wide awake and roughhousing with Dad. Will be a late > night tonight. >> Ha, ha, must be very careful what you say! Salli Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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