and she went to bed...........

[Jena]

good morning,

So, difficult child went to bed, wow.

I used 6 mg. of melatonin as opposed to the usual 3 mg. that never worked, some kava kava tea before hand (she does not like that), and then I wrapped her tight in blanket (been reading alot about weighted blankets lately), brushed her arms and back.....and it happened she fell asleep!!

I sat there afraid to move for like 20 min. because i was stunned and i also didn't want to wake her at all. The combo of the brushing with tightness of blanket and a few things ontop of it stuffed animals, etc. the tea melatonin i'm hopeful and surprised. she slept, get this for 9 1/2 hours, awoke at 6:30 today.

who knows if it's a fluke but we now have a new bedtime ritual. By the way I did this on a night when usually she would climb quite badly, after theatre group and his kids here which always gets her overstimulated.

 

[busywend]

How absolutely wonderful for both of you! I hope it continues to provide her much needed sleep!!!

WAHOO!!!

 

[Jena]

i know shocking to be honest with you, tried so many things. sleeps been huge issue yet never thought of those things combined. she's groggy today though, going to have to find my way around that one. yet all those hours of sleep just amazing!

 

[TerryJ2]

Jennifer, that is great! Your fluke will, indeed, become a ritual. Way To Go!

 

[Stella Johnson]

Great to hear the new ritual worked. It always helps my difficult child to have the same schedule every night at exactly the same time.

My difficult child is 11 and still likes to be tucked in tightly at night. It's the only way she can sleep alone.

Steph

 

[Lillyth]

Way To Go Jennifer!!!

I know sleep has been a HUGE issue for you, so I am very glad to hear this worked for you.

(Weighted blankies, by the way, totally an Aspie thing - my son sleeps under is WHOLE heavy sleeping bag. Will NOT sleep inside or on top...)

 

[TerryJ2]

Hmmm ... my son likes his sleeping bag, too ... on a bare mattress.

 

[Jena]

ok you guys are going to laugh i put a sleeping bag under her as well, the sheet material i've noticed bugs her she cant' find her "spot" on it. Ok her spot is what she does with her finger she makes circular motion and she does that till it gets "dirty" she says than she finds another spot.

So, here we go again tonite dont' know if it'll work but i got the stuff down her throat again took a while of fighting yet got it down and I'm going to try again. She woke up today very groggy and had school refusal as per usual so once again late to school yet she was amazingly surprised at how she slept she was so amazed. So yup she's in pull up's i know yuck yet i said well baby we're on a roll your dry and we have one nights' sleep I said it's like the kite takes a while to get it up and sailing but if you keep at it eventually...... so she said what i'm going to fly?? so yup my analogies are a horror lol.

 

[Wiped Out]

I'm so glad it was a peaceful night and she fell asleep, may there be many more.

 

[Jena]

hi and thanks!

ok night two, DOWN!! wow! i am so excited now i can't calm down lol. It's been hello like 9 1/2 years of on and off sleeplessness. I've hardly ever know other than when she slides into depressed mode which i hate to see her go through, what its like to have her go to bed at 9 smiling. it's amazing. whipped up same concotion of stuff, brushed her arms, etc. wrapped her super tight tonite and bam. i just make sure we do ur song, special handshake, sweet dreams back and forth same ritual every night before i begin brushing..........

ok i'm totally hopeful bigtime. yes i'm a simlpe woman soo doesn't take much to make me smile.......

next is a tonic for morning i'm going to try to mix up that i can give her to jump start her

 

[Lillyth]

hi and thanks!

ok night two, DOWN!! wow! i am so excited now i can't calm down lol. It's been hello like 9 1/2 years of on and off sleeplessness. I've hardly ever know other than when she slides into depressed mode which i hate to see her go through, what its like to have her go to bed at 9 smiling. it's amazing. whipped up same concotion of stuff, brushed her arms, etc. wrapped her super tight tonite and bam. i just make sure we do ur song, special handshake, sweet dreams back and forth same ritual every night before i begin brushing..........

ok i'm totally hopeful bigtime. yes i'm a simlpe woman soo doesn't take much to make me smile.......

next is a tonic for morning i'm going to try to mix up that i can give her to jump start her

Does she have a favorite song (one that gets the blood pumping) that you could play to help her wake up?

My son loves "Ball & Chain" by Social Distortion.

I am SO happy for you!!!

 

[TerryJ2]

Oooh, I was just checking back here to see, and was delighted that it worked 2 nights in a row. I don't think this is a fluke ...

 

[Jena]

hi,

Lillyth no songs don't work in a.m. she needs a harder hit, i'm thinking of making some sort of shake that tastes good yet has a bunch of stuff in it that'll help get her going. she is often very sad in the a.m. hour and anxiety ridden school is huge huge issue...... her depressive said and obsessional thinking shows up in p.m. and a.m. hours mostly before and after days completed. yet the mix i've been giving to her is getting her down smiling.

Terry yes i know quite shocking......i am surprised. she needs alot more work yet this is something good to build upon. i'm trying not to get too hopeful because as well all know things can indeed change day to day yet sleep is crucial for her, helps lower daytime anxiety as well. she survived a weather drill yesterday without melting down that is huge. she sat in hallway with kids heads tucked into their tummies incase of a tornadoe what theywould do. i think i can thank the sleep she got hte night before for holding it together. she came unglued this a.m. again the schools putting alot of pressure on her. so i'm fighting to get the iep thanks for checking in though, the continuing "did she sleep" soga lol...

p.s. she actually looks somewhat different rested her face is different eyes brighter color has face

 

[Lillyth]

What about some Mate in the AM?

It is a natural stimulant from the rainforest, and a lot of people use it instead of coffee, and you can't get all jittery on it.

It is much more gentle than coffee/caffine and I would imagine it is safe to give to kids, though, of course, check with her doctor...

I'll keep my thinking cap on...

 

[Jena]

thanks, i have to find something that gets her going, yet also combats the anxiety a two fold.