I've mentioned some of the problems we've had with Stepson11, our difficult child. One of the problems is that he doesn't seem to sleep much. My husband also doesn't sleep much, only needs about 5 hours; that's just how he is. The boy's bio-mom is bi-polar, she also has little need for sleep when she is manic or psychotic, which is most of her life.
So whether he comes by it naturally through his father, or through brain chemical problems, the fact remains, SS11 doesn't sleep much. He's prone to wandering and getting into mischief, such as black paint on the carpet, or police picking him up on the road at 2 am. We also suspect he lies awake and becomes anxious on occasion, altho he's just as likely to lie in bed and pretend to be superman according to the son who shares a room with him.
On a couple of occasions, my husband has given him a sleeping pill, if SS11 needs sleep or gets shadows under his eyes or has been wandering at night. But this can't be a habit, nor is it a solution.
He's gone to three psychiatrists to be evaluated for medications. The first one said he didn't need it. The second got angry and demanded of my husband, "Why do you want this kid on medication?". The third, last spring said he'd like to hold off as long as possible, because once kids get on 'these types of medications', they are usually on them for life. My husband didn't ask what medications he was talking about.
It seems like every kid in the world has medications shoved at him, but everyone is reluctant to rx SS11. He's not ADD/ADHD. He's not temper tantruming out of control. He doesn't present as depressed (altho we both think he is), because he's friendly, polite and well spoken. He hides his anxiety because (I think) he feels it makes him different and sick. He's been in sooooooo much therapy, he's actually learned a bit how to manipulate therapists. He knows to say, "I did it because I want positive attention" and has learned it often brings him a reward. He hates tests, counselling, evaluations and is guarded, and we think he has sabotaged some of the. Once when we all made a thanksgiving wish, tied them to balloons and let them fly to the sky, he wished not to have therapy any more.
I digress: I see a couple of you have used melatonin? Has it been effective? Have you used it on some one as young as 11? Are there side effects?
We tried St John's Wort. It seemed to have helped slightly, but it might have only been us hoping. We let it go because it seemed like too much hassle.
SS11 does not seem to mind taking medications because he wishes his mom would so she wouldn't be sick so much; and does worry some about being like her.
Any comments or experiences with Melatonin?
So whether he comes by it naturally through his father, or through brain chemical problems, the fact remains, SS11 doesn't sleep much. He's prone to wandering and getting into mischief, such as black paint on the carpet, or police picking him up on the road at 2 am. We also suspect he lies awake and becomes anxious on occasion, altho he's just as likely to lie in bed and pretend to be superman according to the son who shares a room with him.
On a couple of occasions, my husband has given him a sleeping pill, if SS11 needs sleep or gets shadows under his eyes or has been wandering at night. But this can't be a habit, nor is it a solution.
He's gone to three psychiatrists to be evaluated for medications. The first one said he didn't need it. The second got angry and demanded of my husband, "Why do you want this kid on medication?". The third, last spring said he'd like to hold off as long as possible, because once kids get on 'these types of medications', they are usually on them for life. My husband didn't ask what medications he was talking about.
It seems like every kid in the world has medications shoved at him, but everyone is reluctant to rx SS11. He's not ADD/ADHD. He's not temper tantruming out of control. He doesn't present as depressed (altho we both think he is), because he's friendly, polite and well spoken. He hides his anxiety because (I think) he feels it makes him different and sick. He's been in sooooooo much therapy, he's actually learned a bit how to manipulate therapists. He knows to say, "I did it because I want positive attention" and has learned it often brings him a reward. He hates tests, counselling, evaluations and is guarded, and we think he has sabotaged some of the. Once when we all made a thanksgiving wish, tied them to balloons and let them fly to the sky, he wished not to have therapy any more.
I digress: I see a couple of you have used melatonin? Has it been effective? Have you used it on some one as young as 11? Are there side effects?
We tried St John's Wort. It seemed to have helped slightly, but it might have only been us hoping. We let it go because it seemed like too much hassle.
SS11 does not seem to mind taking medications because he wishes his mom would so she wouldn't be sick so much; and does worry some about being like her.
Any comments or experiences with Melatonin?