Manster's Insomnia

[ML]

Some of you may remember that I camped out with an air mattress in manster's room for a long time due to his night time anxiety and frequent wakings. Well I "moved out" several months ago and the results have been mixed. Some nights he does well but more often than not, and more so lately for some reason, he wakes up several times a night and doesn't always go back to sleep. He ALWAYS wakes me up. I enabled him to become too dependent upon me for sleep and created this mess. Because I'm not the greatest sleeper to begin with, when he wakes me up I don't always go back to sleep so I'm exhausted. A couple of times I have been able to go back and he's left the TV on and who knows what time he goes back to sleep. One night he was up from 3 on. It started with the antibiotics when he was sick and now it's a pattern.

I was thinking of getting an egg crate type mattress that I can throw in a closet and if he has a bad night tell him to drag it from the closet and put it at the foot of our bed. I'm thinking this is a compromise. The bed won't be set up to encourage a new pattern but if it's really bad some of us can get some sleep (husband's sleep is also disrupted). What do you think? Is this perpetuating the cycle or is it a reasonable measure?

The good part is that by waking up 3 hours early today I get to catch up with my cd family.

Love,

ML

 

[crazymama30]

Have you ever tried giving him melatonin? I would be worried that having the egg crate available would perpuate things. That if he knows it is there he would be more likely to use it? Now I don't know your difficult child, but I know that mine would do that. Mine has some anxiety issues and sometimes the more I play into the worse it is.

It could be different for manster. I would be leary.

 

[Josie]

I would put the mattress at the foot of your bed and see if that helps.

I would also look for a medicine/supplement that will help with sleep, for the whole family's sake. It just makes everything worse when you can't get a good nights sleep.

I've been sleeping with difficult child 2 for 7 months. She used to wake me up in the night. Now she is taking Trazadone and sleeps through the night and goes to sleep without me having to be in there. I am hoping to "move out" soon.

 

[mamabear01]

Hoboy....
My son, before he was identified with AS did not sleep for 11 yrs. I was miserable. He was miserable. We both never slept.

We had so many tardy's at school during those years and I never knew a child could have a sleep disorder. I always thought only adults had sleep disorders.

Because of me not understanding, and not realizing it was a neuro disorder I blamed myself. You know, I'm not being strict enough. I do not provide enough routine, I am just a bad mom.

Not until I introduced Melatonin.

It was a miracle!!!!!

It's natural, it's over the counter, and it's safe. I gave my kids 3 mgs a night they were older 7-10 yrs. I don't know how old your child is, or can even swallow a pill but you can find melatonin at your local GMC or even longs drugs. Some young kids do well with lower doses and there is a liquid form available.

My god once I introduced this I realized it wasn't me. And I spent many a night sleeping on my childrens floor or having them sleep with us. In fact before melatonin they slept with us for two years and my husband had to put a twin mattress to sleep on on the ground because of my boys lololol.

Anyway I would look into it. Seriously. I was shocked on how well it worked.

 

[Wiped Out]

ML,
I'm sorry Manster is having such insomnia. Before difficult child took medications for his sleep we never got any sleep. He would be up till midnight or later and then awake by 4 in the morning. When we told his psychiatrist he said we couldn't keep doing that and prescribed some medications to help sleep. I hated to do it but it was necessary for us. Even today if we don't give him his night medications right away he will not fall asleep. A few weeks ago husband thought difficult child had taken his medications. Several hours later when he was still wide awake he saw difficult child actually hadn't taken them.

I hope you are able to find a solution soon so you can get the rest you deserve. Hugs.

 

[ML]

Thanks gals. I have melatonin and will ask the doctor if it will be ok to give it to him on top of the guanfacine, zoloft and allergy medications. I don't do well without sleep that's for sure. Love, ML

 

[Jena]

hi

sorry to hear you guys are going thru that. i suffered same with difficult child for so many years until seroquel.

i tried and still do along with-seroquel journaling before bed so thoughts and worries are out of head, lavendar spray on her bed and sheets/pillow it seems to induce restful state, also meditation breathing took a while to get her to work it yet now she is, and self talk to herself about her worries.

my fear was always and still remains that if too many provisions are in place they won't find their coping skills to deal with-it. it's always in my head, so as of late i keep pushing her even when i would rather hold her( it's almost like when their small and crying and they say do not go into their room lol).

hope this helps


(((Hugs))))

 

[susiestar]

If the egg crate thing happens, maybe you can use melatonin, lavendar spray (or if he showers at night have him use the walmart brand lavendar baby wash for his body. thank you loves it and there is no scent in the daytime, just a little at bedtime.) and other things to get him sleeping through the night. Then when he sleeps through you could gradually move the mattress toward his room.

If there is anxiety about things under the bed then take the bed frame away and put the mattress and box springs on the floor. That way nothing can be under the bed. It was a HUGE help for us.

If you have any guided meditation tapes they would be helpful. my kids ALL love the ones husband bought before we married. It is one tool that everyone except husband uses to get back to sleep.

Anyway, trust your instincts on this. They will tell you what is going on.