Any options besides melatonin for sleep? | ADHD Information

Hi, all. My 5-yo son just started Vyvanse last Saturday. So far so good. He's had good days at school and the come down period is much better than on Concerta (not a good fit for us). He isn't eating as much, which is the first time we've really had that issue. (No eating issues with Concerta or short-acting Ritalin.) But we can work around that, plus he's a big kid. My biggest concern is sleep. He's had a more difficult time falling asleep than normal and has awoken in the middle of the night a couple of times and had a hard time falling back to sleep. I've seen posts on melatonin working well ... but before I go that route, are there any other suggestions to help with sleep? I'd really rather avoid another pill if I can help it. Also, does melatonin help prevent them from waking up in the middle of the night? Thanks in advance for any tips. :)we use melatonin (6 mg) with our 8 yr. old ds. you might start with lower
dosage at first if you do use melatonin. benadryl works sometimes as well.
we also have just tried to start bedtime early and let him listen to books on
tape to relax him before bed. I have to lay down with him some nights to
get him to sleep.

I give my 6 year old son 1/2 mg melatonin when he needs help falling asleep.  He's asleep within 20 minutes usually and sleeps all night.  Sometimes he wakes up to go to the bathroom, but then will go right back to sleep.  I started out giving him 1 mg and he was so grouchy the next day, so I bought a pill-cutter and cut it in half and that works well for him.  I'm trying to not give it to him every night. 

Kathy

my son is also on vyvanse 30mg. he stayed up pretty late at night. we started giving him melatonin only 1/4 of 1 mg pill just on school nights. otherwise he would be up past 11pm. 1/2 gave him bad dreams. we just put him on tenex for some of his tics and now we havent had to give him melatonin. the tenex seems to help him sleep. he now goes to bed before 9pm. i dont really know of anything besised the melatonin or anything other than a pill that would help. we were also very reluctant to have him taking any other meds. it was hard for us to start meds just for the adhd. but i knew he wouldnt last at school if he was up all night every single night. and its very hard for me to fall alseep knowing he is awake and may be out of bed. im sorry i dont have any suggestions. i had even tried giving him the vyvanse earlier in the morning and he stilled stayed up late. good luck to u. and if u do decide to try the melatonin make sure u start  really low b/c it can give them bad dreams if its too much. like i say my ds had to have 1/4 of a 1mg pill.

kim

Maybe this will help some


Melatonin info drug.com

and
Melatonin

Valerian root keeps you asleep. Melatonin helps you fall asleep.

Jessica N40017.9101388889Thanks everyone! Sleep has gotten better over time.. cross your fingers it will stay that way! Will be comfortable with melatonin should we need it. We were very much like you, Rosalie, in not wanting to medicate at first but knowing that was our son's only chance at success as well. Appreciate all of the responses. Have a great day everyone!When I was giving my son melatonin it didn't help him fall asleep too much earlier but I did notice that once he was asleep he slept much more soundly without waking during the night. The doctor has put him on tenex, so I haven't been giving him the melatonin.