Insomnia in Kids | Imamother

flowerpower

Tue, Jul 22 2014, 10:47 am

I feel for you!!!! I am in the same boat. My kids do not sleep. I have tried a lot of different remedies over the years. The only thing that does work is malatonim. I hate giving it and give low doses and not every night. My kids don't need much sleep- if they fall asleep late they wake up early and well rested. I wish you find something that really works! Do you let him be very active- ball, bike, trampoline... Etc when he comes home from day camp? That may help a bit.

myself

Tue, Jul 22 2014, 1:38 pm

flowerpower wrote:

Thanks flowerpower. He's not usually tired but gets black bags under his eyes. He doesn't notice it but it bothers me. He always gets up early too and is mostly fine, but he is sometimes grumpy after too little sleep. More then anything he's frustrated (and so am I!). He's fed up of keeping himself occupied quietly and nags me all evening. On and on and on. I need some downtime and can't entertain a 10 year old until midnight Crying

smoms

Tue, Jul 22 2014, 1:57 pm

What worked for me was a calcium and magnesium supplement. I use Zahler Power Cal and give my 11 year old half the recommended dose every night.

hanna2010

Tue, Jul 22 2014, 6:02 pm

Something we are trying for my 6 year old daughter is calm tabs (or powder) from nutri supreme. It contains L-theanine which helps calm you down.
It works on the neurotransmitter-GABA. those who are deficient will respond. I personally take the tabs for anxiety and it works.
It is suppossed to be a healthier option over the melatonin.
YOu can get from kosher vitamins online or nutrisupreme. Get the correct dosage or it can cause stomach upset. May take a few days to kick in.

amother

Tue, Jul 22 2014, 8:01 pm

I think the key at this point, might be to work on coping strategies. if he is going to be struggling with insomnia for the the foreseeable future, 10 years old is not too young for him to start learning how to cope with it.

Would he be willing to talk to a therapist? The anxiety part may be a bigger issue than he is letting on. When I have struggled with insomnia, the worry about lack of sleep while not able to fall asleep was really unbearable. Talking to someone may help him.

For people with insomnia, especially those stuck in an insomnia/anxiety loop, the first thing they tell you to do is to limit the amount of time you spend in bed. This is hard to implement with a 10 year old, because he's still a kid, but not really. I'm not sure if the approach would be the same with a child, which goes back to my recommendation to find someone to speak to.

amother

Tue, Jul 22 2014, 8:31 pm

Gentle inquiry related to the anxiety that has brought about the insomnia. Please make sure you are aware of all things going on in his life. Has someone threatened him, molested him, is someone bullying him, etc. Often children won't tell their parents these things, but their psyche betrays their inner turmoil. I have the same problem with my eleven year old for the past year. She is up til midnite or one AM. In her case, I know what has brought about the anxiety but my knowing has still not solved the problem. I have tried melatonin, cal/mag, and valerian to no avail. I do have to limit her use of her DS after 7 PM; maybe that will help her relax. I wish you success.