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Frumwithallergies


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Mon, Jan 25 2021, 7:01 am
I would try melatonin. We used it briefly a few times to re-set the evening routine. It is not addictive in children and is usually well tolerated.
Try 1 -3 mg 30 minutes to 1 hour before 'bedtime'.
Hatzlacha!
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honey36


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Mon, Jan 25 2021, 9:42 am
Have you tried spending a lot of time outside and see if that helps before going to melatonin? I know it may be cold, but bundle up and get out there for as long as you can. The sun suppresses the bodies natural melatonin and then when it gets dark outside it will be released and make him tired. Also fresh air and lots of physical activity.
My kids are the crazy ones running up around the park and walking to school when its freezing. We bundle up and the movement keeps us warm. And they all sleep great at night.
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FranticFrummie


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Mon, Jan 25 2021, 12:12 pm
Oysh, this was DD until she was 5, and we discovered melatonin. I could easily have given it to her 2 years earlier, and saved us both a lot of fights. I think that the constant power struggle really affected our relationship.
With the pediatrician's permission, I figured out the absolute lowest possible dose that was still effective. The standard is 5mg, but she fell asleep perfectly with 1.5mg. We'd get the chewable 3mg tablets and break them in half.
She went from fighting me, to coming to me a half an hour before bedtime and saying "Mama, I need my pill now." By bedtime she would ask me to put her to bed and say Shema. Easy peasy! Even better, because she was the one asking for bedtime, she felt more in control.
I do agree that you should try to burn off all of his energy during the day. The main problem is that if you miss that perfect window of when to get him to bed (and that window can be only 5 minutes!) then he will get his "second wind" and be overtired and too wide awake to settle. This is where the melatonin comes in.
As for mornings, get this clock for him. https://www.amazon.com/Wake-Ch.....psc=1
When he wakes up, tell him that he can play quietly in his room until the clock turns green. Then it will be OK to come wake you up.
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bwaybabe85


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Mon, Jan 25 2021, 12:37 pm
What time are you putting him to bed? Maybe it’s too late and he’s overtired.
I’d suggest melatonin as well.
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wife101


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Mon, Jan 25 2021, 8:13 pm
This is my 3 year old - he never slept. A few months back I tried melatonin (don't remember why) and it's been a life changer. Once he got into routine I was able to stop giving it to him regularly. There was recently change in schedule due to a simcha so I started giving it again. Huge difference.
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oneofakind


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Mon, Jan 25 2021, 8:56 pm
I'm an adult who will start with 1 milligram melatonin and max at 3 or 4.
I'm suggesting that after he lets out his energy, put him to bed EARLIER. When some people are overtired, they get more wired. It's a trick to catch that perfect time but it may work.
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miami85


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Mon, Jan 25 2021, 9:06 pm
I can commiserate. I've tried it all, and my now 3-year-old also doesn't fall asleep until 12-1am and he either wakes up too late and despite all my efforts takes a 3- hour nap, and even if we get him to 7pm it becomes a nap and he's awake until into the wee-hours of the morning. Even if I get him to sleep in another location (he will not even CLAIM a bed as his own--we've tried several possible locations) he prefers sleeping on the floor or my livingroom couch, but he almost every night ends up in my bed. We try melatonin--.5, 1, 3, 5, even 10mg, nothing works with any amount of predictability. If something works one night, it bombs the next night.
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amother


Indigo
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Mon, Jan 25 2021, 9:46 pm
1. What does his diet consist of? Some mothers I know have turned to melatonin for their children. And I am suprised why cutting out sugar wasnt an idea they tried first.
2. How much physical activity does he get? My 2.5 is pretty active and I got a small trampoline. Especially helpful when the weather is too cold to go out much. I have him jump, and run even if indoors, go up and down stairs a few times a day, sometimes I even throw in dance parties. Point is - they need physical activities to deal with all that energy.
3. I wouldn't put him to sleep later. If hes consistently waking at 5 am, and no nap. He should be getting those 10-12 hours of sleep at night. The Times my Ds doesnt nap, I still put him in "too chill" and then he has to be in bed in time to get 11/12 hours. So hell be asleep 7 to wake up 630.
4. My kids do better falling asleep when dinner is finished by 2 hours before night time. "Exercise", a good bath, and an audiobook- even something cute like middos story, help him calm and settle to sleep.
Hope that was helpful.
Hatzlacha!
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