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Forum -> Children's Health

Insomnia in Kids

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myself

Wed, Jul 09 2014, 5:52 pm

Ten year old DS doesn't manage to fall asleep for HOURS. This has been going on for a while and it's reached a point where it has become really distressing for him, not to mention that it's slowly robbing my sanity. The refrain ' but I can't fall asleep' is dancing circles in my brain and disrupts my evening.

He's fed up of lying in bed if he's not sleeping. I've tried later bedtimes, reading, listening to story tapes, calming drops etc. to no avail. I've used Melatonin on some very rare occasions like when he was still awake at 1am or after a few nights of very little sleep, but I really don't like the idea.

What's a mom to do?

PinkFridge

Wed, Jul 09 2014, 7:25 pm

myself wrote:

Has he had a physical recently?

Volunteer

Wed, Jul 09 2014, 10:13 pm

chilax

Wed, Jul 09 2014, 11:18 pm

What time does he get up in the morning? Try snatching him out of bed at 6:00 and see what happens that night

myself

Thu, Jul 10 2014, 6:36 am

Volunteer wrote:

I had insomnia like this, as a child about his age. I used to read paperback books (Babysitters' Club- remember those?) until past midnight. Sometimes I played with dolls quietly in the hallway until I fell asleep on the floor. When my parents woke up and found me there, they'd carry me back to bed.

I was never the greatest sleeper myself but I think falling asleep after midnight takes the cake. I'd be more then happy if he would entertain himself quietly, problem is that he's fed up of books, cd's etc. He's frustrated and just wants to be able to fall asleep!

I was perfectly healthy, and did well in school, despite my apparent lack of sleep. I grew out of it eventually, and suffered no ill effects.

Same with me but he's got black bags under his eyes and it's the frustration that's bothersome more than anything.

A few ideas:
1. Is he exposed to light (lightbulbs, or especially computer/tv screen) near bedtime? Light tricks the brain into thinking it's daytime. Some people are really sensitive to its effects at night. No computers / screens, just regular lighting, nothing too bright.
2. How physically active is he during the day? Playing sports/vigorous exercise is great for sleeping at night. He could probably do with more physical activity but he doesn't manage to sleep on the nights he's returned from swimming either.
3. Does he eat (or have drinks with calories, such as juice) close to bedtime? Not necessarily. Sometimes a cracker or two. Food is energy, so eating close to bedtime can interfere with sleep. A few foods, such as milk or non-sugary starches can make you tired, but everyone reacts differently to food.

See my responses interspersed above.

myself

Thu, Jul 10 2014, 6:40 am

chilax wrote:

What time does he get up in the morning? Try snatching him out of bed at 6:00 and see what happens that night

He's usually awake at 7:00. Interestingly enough he's not usually tired in the morning.

paprika

Thu, Jul 10 2014, 6:41 am

If he sits in yeshiva all day, and then comes home and sits on the couch or on the floor playing with his cars, his body isn't tiring enough. Have him do exercise, play sports, or even help around the house to get him moving.

myself

Thu, Jul 10 2014, 6:43 am

PinkFridge wrote:

Has he had a physical recently?

He's had a blood test not long ago. All normal.

myself

Thu, Jul 10 2014, 11:46 am

Has anyone used Valerian Root for kids?
Is it safe? If yes, how much? And most importantly, did it work?

Volunteer

Thu, Jul 10 2014, 12:07 pm

Sleep problems can be a tough nut to crack. I'm not sure what would have worked for me as a child with a similar problem, but a few things that help me now are:

1. Before-bed yoga/stretching-type exercise. A 10yo boy might not be into this, but if he's really frustrated, he might give it a shot. A little physical activity of this type can work wonders. This would be in addition to regular vigorous activity in the daytime (such as swimming).
2. Chamomile tea. My mother also has insomnia, and it works for both of us. Your ds may not like the taste, but, again, it's worth a shot. I am not aware of any negative side-effects.
3. Did you know that anxiety about not sleeping is one major contributor to insomnia? It's like a vicious cycle: you have trouble relaxing and falling asleep, then you start to worry about how your lack of sleep will affect you the next day, the frustration makes it even harder to relax, and so on... If the only ill effect of his insufficient sleep is cosmetic (under-eye circles), and he is wakeful and active during the day, maybe it's not so bad. He might just grow out of it.

4. Does he often use his bed for activities other than sleep? I've read that playing or doing work in bed makes your brain associate bed=activity versus bed=sleep.

FranticFrummie

Thu, Jul 10 2014, 2:12 pm

DD is 11, and she's had the same problem her whole life. We started her out with a small dose of melatonin (1mg) with her pediatrician's permission. That helped get her to sleep, but she couldn't stay asleep. Then she'd wake up and ask for more melatonin, and I really didn't want to start giving her more. One night I found out that when she said she was getting up to get a drink of water, she was sneaking more melatonin, so obviously she was exhausted and desperate to get more sleep.

What really turned the corner for us, was to get her a weighted blanket. For the first time in her life, she slept through the whole night! She wakes up happy, and is now down to a half a tablet of melatonin every night. The weighted blanket also stopped her from sleepwalking, wandering all over the house and mumbling to herself.

Another thing that really helped, is that I made sure that she wasn't getting any "screen time" with electronics about an hour before bedtime.

Weighted blankets can be expensive, but if you look around on Etsy you can find wonderful sellers who can customize them in any fabrics you want, and they'll help you calculate the weight you need for your child's age and size. The prices are generally a lot lower than you'll find on special needs websites.

flowerpower

Thu, Jul 10 2014, 3:32 pm

I have insomnia and so do my kids. Especially the oldest. He has a hard time since birth. We used a weighted blanket as a toddler and it didn't work. The only thing that helps him fall asleep is 1 mg malatonim. Without it he falls asleep after midnight. He wakes up very early and isn't tired. Just like me- he doesn't need sleep. I tried so many different natural remedies but none worked. When you find something that works, let me know.

myself

Thu, Jul 10 2014, 5:05 pm

flowerpower wrote:

Have you tried Valerian Root or Lavender oil?

flowerpower

Thu, Jul 10 2014, 5:26 pm

I have tried the oils a few years ago. It didn't work at all. Just so you know- lavendar isn't healthy for boys. Google it.

myself

Thu, Jul 10 2014, 5:29 pm

flowerpower wrote:

I have tried the oils a few years ago. It didn't work at all. Just so you know- lavendar isn't healthy for boys. Google it.

Oops. I guess I'll have to skip that one.
Thank you so much for pointing that out!

amother

Thu, Jul 10 2014, 5:45 pm

We have same issue here. But I have no solution.

amother

Thu, Jul 10 2014, 5:53 pm

My 9yr old ds suffered from terrible insomnia during the school year...he had a very stressful year (bullying, teachers). Once school was over he started sleeping better..I too tried melatonin and it did not work at all.

PinkFridge

Thu, Jul 10 2014, 8:21 pm

So the weighted blanket is for sensory issues? I'm at a point where I would try, well not anything, but just about for my insomnia. The problem is that we'd have to keep the thermostat in the low 60s for me to feel comfortable with a heavy blanket.

myself

Mon, Jul 14 2014, 4:19 pm

flowerpower wrote:

I have tried the oils a few years ago. It didn't work at all. Just so you know- lavendar isn't healthy for boys. Google it.

According to what I've read it appears that any side effect from the lavender oil is short term and disappears after the product is stopped. I imagine it's not so common either. Is that enough of a reason to avoid it? Has anyone here had a negative experience?

myself

Tue, Jul 22 2014, 9:50 am

I don't know if to laugh or cry, we're back to square one. The oils seemed to work for a few day but alas, no longer. This child is super frustrated. I NEED a solution!!!

What else is there out there? Any more ideas?

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