Is this normal? | ADHD Information

Sleeplessness is a side effect of ritalin. We use melatonin to help her get to sleep, with her doctor's permission. Works great! She's been taking it for about 1.5 years now.This may just be her body adjusting to the meds.  When we started my son was also up late.  He still rebounds but not unbearably.  I do not schedule anything other than bath and I do the reading.  He leaps about the room but really comprehends the story and his bath slows him down.  It was worse when we first started but he settled in quickly.

I agree with chasesmom and vickie.  We use to have a complete fight on our hands with my daughter who is also on ritalin.  She could not calm down no matter what we would do and we always stuck to a routine.  Now I give her melatonin and I say it works woders for us.  She tells me it makes her able to relax and fall asleep easier.

If you are seing rebound and sleep issues it may not be the right med. I would speak to her Psych to see what can be done before giving anything, melatonin included.My daughter who is just turning 7 has been recently diagnosed with ADHD. I am having difficulties with her starting to act up once the medicine wears off. At night time, we are all done with our routine by 7:30p and she will struggle to get to sleep til almost 10:30p. I do not know why this is. Maybe it is a side effect of the medication? I don't know, but it is hard because then she is tired the next day. Is this normal? Any input is welcome and appreciated. Thanks, Roxanne

Difficulty falling asleep is indeed a side effect of the stimulant meds.  Try some melatonin (after okaying it with the doctor, of course).  GNC has a 1mg melt in your mouth tablet that is cherry flavored.  Or you can go to Dollar General and get 75 3mg  (about ) tablets that you can break in half to make 1.5 mg dosages.....the lower doses are most effective, at higher doses the opposite effect can happen as well as nightmares in some cases.

Give her one dose about 1/2 to 1 hour before bedtime.  It should help her to be able to settle and sleep once she is in her bed...it will NOT dope her up or make her loopy.....or sedated.

If that does not work, there are prescription meds to help with sleep that can be added.

As far as her acting up after the med has worn off, you could add a short acting dose in the late afternoon, but if she is already having sleep issues you may not want to do that.  Perhaps if her initial dose is raised, it will last a bit longer.  Is she on a long acting form of stim or a short acting one....?

 

Yep-what she said.

Work with the doc to taylor the med to your daughter's needs with the least amount of side effects. It takes time but is worth it.

Thank you all for your help and input. The medication she is on is called, Metadate cd 30mg. She has a review tomorrow and I will be discussing the problem with her doctor. She has now only been on it 3 months or so. It is still new to her and me. We will get it figured out. Thank you all though. I am new to this and I already enjoy it!